Christmases Past, Present, and Future

The Christmasing in our house continues.  Last night, BB and DD decorated a dozen gingerbread people.  DD's were all different looking, while BB's were a festive massacre. There's no other way to describe it.  During the weekends, we've been going to see holiday lights, decorating, and seeing a holiday show (Tiny Tim's Christmas at Adventure Theatre - go see it! The talented Phil Reid is in this one; he's one of our families' favorites).

Christmas feels a bit like BB's gingerbread people - a decadent collage of green, red, white, and chocolate, sprinkled with all kinds of sweetness and treats.  Beautiful yet over the top.  I've loved all the different Christmases we've had with the kids - first job BB too young to open his own gifts. Then with the two of them together squealing and making merry Christmas morning (super super early back then).  Afterwards, driving to my parents' house for round 2.  As they got older, the enthusiasm for Christmas Eve - setting out cookies and reindeer food - only got more intense.  BB and DD each think they will stay awake and catch Santa one of these years.  I'm forecasting that our future Christmases will be less frenetic.  I'd love to institute the "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" rule as they get older, and to build in the tradition of giving gifts to one another.