The guy and I have said several times to each other in the past week..”It just doesn’t feel like Christmas this year”. There are several reasons I can come up with that are logical – the crappy economy and our tightened budget, which I have exceeded and now feel guilty about. There’s the lack of snow… it’s been depressingly cold and grey lately without the beauty of the white stuff. Today the wind howls down the chimneys of This Old House like a screaming banshee.
Still, I don’t think it’s any of those things as much as the absence of TOYS. We both bought heavily into the magic of Christmas with our kids over the years. We went to great lengths to hide presents big and small, leave cookies out for Santa, carrots for the reindeer. One year we threw presents on the porch roof to make it look like Santa had dropped a few on his way over to the chimney. We made sooty boot prints on the hearth, sometimes threw a loose brick or two in the logs to make it look like the chimney had crumpled under the weight of Santa…and there have been more than a few curse-strewn sessions of toy-assembling. Who knew a Barbie Camper could come in 1,378 pieces, assembly required beyond sanity’s threshold. That part maybe I don’t miss so much.
I do enjoy the Christmas traditions we continue to carry through, like monkey bread on Christmas morning. My kids still love getting their gifts under the tree, of course. After the holiday I’ll share with you some of the crazy stuff I find to fill their stockings. But… the gifts under the tree are different. There are no more American Girl dolls or Breyer horses or remote control monster trucks or giant stuffed Tigers or Play Dough or Light Bright or Big Boxes of Crayons – the kind with the sharpener in the back of the box… I still haven’t outgrown those. Not even a Tickle-Me Elmo. And I miss them all. I miss the feety pajamas and the twinkle in their eyes, the excitement of Christmas Eve, the trying to fall asleep, or more like the trying to stay awake to catch the sound of hooves and sleigh bells on the roof.
I saw Elmo on the shelf in Target last week and I almost put him in the cart. Just because.
Awwww, those pictures and your memories are so wonderful, Karen…I miss my little guys too and sometimes have to admit putting some little stuffed animal into their stockings even though they think I am silly…At least we have beautiful snow up here! xo Cait
Love your pictures Karen. I know what you mean about the absence of toys… not only no toys for our girls BUT granddaughter and grandson are now too old for them too. The only toy under our tree is for our dog…lol. I try to compensate for the lack of toys with at least one game each year…and…I insist someone play it with me on Christmas. I have somehow become the 'kid' of the family.
No snow in nw NJ either, usually by now we've at least had a dusting.
O.k. let's try this again. Blogger goofed up again. It is not the same when the kids are young adults or adults. I am looking forward to this Christmas because we will have the wee ones here this year. I can't wait to see their faces when they open their presents. I even bought the tickle me Elmo for the two year old. She loves Elmo and her Daddy mimics him all the time.
Have a very Merry Christmas, Karen!
You know, I started to write some dumb comment and then erased it. It just plain sucks to not have little ones around. I'm sorry.
Merry Christmas to you just the same! Have fun with your big kids.
I am new to reading your blog, but just had to comment. My youngest just went off to college and I know exactly what you are talking about. He was heavily into Lego's and I almost put some into my cart this past week at Wal-Mart! I thought I was the only one. We must be patient – the grandchildren will come!
Such a sweet, sweet post; my eyes welled up! I totally understand! Your babies are so beautiful, small and growing! And, you have wonderful memories!
It looks as though the girls will all be in St Aug on Christmas Eve, so I'll have "Santa" here when the little blonde comes to visit again. Merry Christmas, Karen. I can't wait to see what you put in their stockings! 🙂
Aww I can so relate to this post! I think that's why God invented grandchildren! I miss all of those things too my friend!
Kat 🙂
Beautiful sentimental traditions. It is a shame to put them in the hamper. You made me cry. God bless you and yours.
Love always,
Kurt
I guess that's why for me it's all about the decorating and crafting prior to Christmas. On Christmas I'll probably sit here and eat crackers and cheese. The kids are grown, have their own families. Live in another state. I'm not sad about the empty nest. You get over that. Don't worry. Your life will alter and they'll leave home and the seams will somehow just close, and you'll start a new chapter of your life. Take it from a mom with kids in their thirties.
Brenda
I have so many of the same feelings although I think I have pretty much just taken it to another level. The kids {19, 23, 27 and 29} still act like kids at Christmas and look forward to all those gifts. And my enthusiasm has stayed the same, fortunately.
I love this year's Christmas card and LOVE your dog!
XO,
Jane
I know exactly what you mean! We are so blessed to have grandkids around now to let us enjoy that phase of life all over again…it is even more fun now than it was then! xxoo Diana
Thank God for grandchildren! Right now I have a Tickle me Elmo and a big box of crayons right in my girls old room…Just for the grandchildren. It is hard for me when things changed too…I'm still trying to adjust!
Happy Solstice Karen!
I miss my kids being little too. Grandkids are great and fun, but just now the same, not waking up here.
But I do think you win the prize for the biggest dog. My black lab is 85 lbs and looks little compared to your buddy!
I already know what you are talking about and my kids are still little – relatively speaking. It's started with NO SNOW. But I know this is the last year for Michael to believe and that makes me so sad because I remember that's when the magic disappeared for me. Sniff…
Great photos, and I hope the Christmas spirit finds you when you wake up on Christmas morning. It sure is different as the kids get older. We used to tell the kids to go back to bed, "it's too early" Now we lay in bed wondering if the kids will ever get up. Thats life I guess. Wishing you a Merry Christmas
Aww, I love posts like this. Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family!!! HUGS.
Well, now you have me crying! I am crazy in the sense that mine is only 5 and I try to suck up every moment with her because I know one day she will grow up and it will all be different. I dread that day. I know we will adjust, but oh how I hate to see that day come. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Year's… oh, and a big ginormous snowfall on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!!!!
Sounds like a grandma in waiting! I know, I am so close to being there and when my own mom suggested something a bit younger childish, I said why not? The boys will probably love it cuz its from you…
Have plenty of snow, will be happy to share!
Merry Christmas!
Not to mention that as they get bigger, so does the price tag for most of the things on their Christmas lists! I still put legos in my boy's stockings and I will always be a total sucker for a brand new box of crayons and a fresh color book. I hear ya though…it's just not the same. Still good, but different.
Ohh! American Girl dolls and Breyer horses used to be under our tree too! But at least we have those memories and new ones every year. I used to be sad when Christmas was over. One year I voiced this to my husband and he looked at me like I was nuts. "You can do it all over again next year", he said. We are SO different, he and I : )