Mommin' It Up!

I’ve decided that for moms, Christmas is just like planning a wedding. Every year. I mean, think about it. It takes coordination and spreadsheets (you should see the “Christmas” folder in my google docs), internet research, stress, blood, sweat and tears (and money, lots of money)…just for one day. And then it’s over. Until next year.

But it’s worth it, right? It must be, or the whole thing wouldn’t have hung in there for 2000 years. Despite all the craziness, Christmas 2010 was a great one for us. Here are a few of the highlights.

— Kate’s Christmas list. I came into the living room one afternoon to find Kate with legal-size pad of paper, filling every square centimeter with all of her heart’s desires in 8 pt font. Then she tore it in pieces to distribute to various family members. I think that was her version of my google doc planning instruments.

— Our Advent calendar. I wrote about how creating this thing kept me up at night, and really, keeping up with a daily treat or activity wasn’t all that easy for me this year, but having an Advent calendar got us all in the spirit. We did and saw a number of things that we probably wouldn’t have otherwise… it was almost a binding contract. If the Advent calendar says we have to get in our jammies and drive around looking at Christmas lights, then that’s what we’re going to do (even if no one’s in the mood and it’s cold and the kids are tired, we have to do it, dammit.)

— Santa. We visited a couple of “Santas” this year… one Kate bought, I think, but the other she determined was a fake, although she was slightly perplexed by how he knew her name. It didn’t occur to her that we live in a *very* small town. Anyway, I kept waiting for her to ask the big question about the reality of Santa, and although that didn’t happen this year, I know the days of her believing are limited. I need to give props to Joshua, however, because he totally played along when Kate started talking Santa at our grandma’s house on Christmas day. I think Jenny & I were both holding our breaths!

— Christmas Eve service. Sam is not… hmm, how should I say this… very good at doing the whole church thing. He was noisy and crazy during the calm and serene candlelight service, but I couldn’t help but get a kick out of him. He was in such a happy mood and was being so funny. When the priest rang the bells in the middle of the service, Sam shouted out “Time to go home!” as though the school bell had sounded. He and I had to bow out about 2/3 of the way through the service, but hanging out with him in the church basement was just as special to me as sitting in a pew.

— Christmas morning. Sam is in the habit of waking up between ? and §, and Christmas morning was no exception. His bedroom doors open up into the living room, so he saw what was under the tree right away. I think I’ll always remember him opening the door to Kate’s room and saying “Kate, it’s time for presents!!”

Really, the whole season was full of memories. At 2.5 and 6.5, our kids are at such good ages for Christmas joy. I kept trying to remind myself to commit everything I could to memory, because I know these are the days we’ll look back on wistfully.

What were your favorite holiday memories this year?