Eid party and recapturing the Christmas Spirit

"Oh, Christmas branch
Oh, Christmas branch...."that's the best I could do for a tree but I do like my cherry coloured baubles. I don't think I should bother wrapping and putting presents under it till the night before. Ya think?! It'll be torture for the kids, not to mention what Haydn would like to do to them. He's learning not to rip the "shiny balls" off the tree. He still does it but comes directly to me and hands them to me...one after the other. Ha!

I just got back from doing a clowning gig for an Eid Party (End of Ramadan). Renee was short staffed and at the last minute needed me so I had the day off(!) It feels like that anyway, being away from the kids and house and all...and Lebanese food is something else!

Shane's been Santa these last few weeks for a promotions company in a local mall taking photo's with the kids. We'll go in on Saturday to get pictures for ourselves. So, I've been pretty run off my feet with big cleaning and purging projects and the regular kids schedules.

Yesterday, the boys and I got dressed up and caught a bus to the local town center to see a Christmas concert and pass tracts. The boys love passing tracts! I took time to read it to them so they really knew what they were doing and they we're thrilled to get such friendly, positive feedback. People genuinely seemed really appreciative of a little Christmas cheer.

It got me thinking of my Christmases growing up and the excitement of December with all the Christmas shows and special treats, staying out late and having a change from the routine of life and it really made me want to get the kids excited about sharing the Christmas Spirit because, take that all away and what do you have? Sure family and friends and a Christmas feast but even that can get tiring. Over the years since I've been a "grown up" and especially since I stopped being on a singing team or when I'm not in a "Home" I wonder where the magic of Christmas is and how to recapture it? It's now dawning on me (duh) that the best Christmases were the ones where I "gave" the most and not just on Christmas day, that passes too fast, but all of December. I actually started early this year. We gave Christmas tracts out most of November and decorated early too. The malls had already so I figured why not?

It's been so hot I brought the kids swimmers and towels and we had a splash in the fountain between tracting.
I got the kids trampoline off lay by too and went ahead and set it up. They know it's one of their gifts but they just needed more to do out the back with school holidays coming and all.
I also got them a clam with one side with sand and the other with water. It's been so hot that it's been a Godsend.

Tony and Pat before they went back to China. I love these people!