(Post) Christmas (Pre)view

I wrote this post about two weeks ago, the day before we flew to Oklahoma for ten days for Christmas. After reading it through a couple of times, trying to rewrite it, and then forcing Mike to read it, we both decided that I couldn't post it since I necessarily had to tell the Internet that we were going out of town in order to explain why the girls were already opening presents. Now that we're home again and the laundry pile is massive and the house is filthy and I'm in my post-vacation exhaustion mode, I just can't be bothered to rewrite it again, so here it is...

I know many of you will think this is just blasphemous, but I grew up believing that Christmas is a destination where all your loved ones are waiting for you to celebrate and be merry instead of just a single day, so I have no qualms about letting my children open their Christmas presents before December 25th. Here's my confession: we let the kids open their big presents (and a few smaller ones) from us last night so they would have an evening or two to play with them before we fly away to where Christmas awaits us.

[Note: Our neighbors, who are going to be home the whole holiday, are feeding our cats and bringing in the mail and watching our house. So don't get any nasty ideas, Grinches.]

And here comes blasphemous statement Number Two... we didn't even get them toys. Oh, there are a few small toys for later that are travelling with us (shh... don't tell!), but their primary gifts this year weren't even toys at all. What cruel parents! What a way to ruin Christmas! Those poor girls must be devastated by the worst holiday on record!

Nope. I think we absolutely hit the nail on the head present-wise this year as both girls were thrilled with their gifts. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Smile!

No, Smile! A real smile this time! Stand still!

No, stand together and smile!

Never mind.

Maggie asked for pastels for Christmas. Really. Our 5-year-old asked for pastels for Christmas. They had used them in her art class at school, and that's what she wanted. OK. So we found this case of semi-professional art supplies designed for children with a serious artistic bent. She opened it as though it were a treasure chest and absolutely beamed at all that colorful loveliness. We also got her a magnetic wipe-off board and a cork board for her art projects, and she cheerfully got right down to business this morning before school and drew a portrait of our Christmas tree.

Kate asked for a ukulele. A specific red electric Epiphone ukulele that she saw online at Guitar Center while window shopping with Mike one evening. She also wanted a banjo, a flute, and a harmonica. (Maggie also wants a flute and a harmonica.) She even told Santa at her school Christmas party on Wednesday that she wants a ukulele, a banjo, a flute, and a harmonica. OK. So she was very excited to unwrap her strangely shaped box and get her hands on the uke of her dreams! Chew on that, Santa - you'll have to get up earlier in the morning if you want to beat Mom and Dad to the best gifts! We don't mess around. You can get her some socks, Mr. Kringle.

After Mike tuned it for her, she asked him to plug it in to his amp so she could, and I quote, "Blast it!" Rock out on that ukulele, little missy!

Blastin'!

She and Mike have been happily playing it together all morning and listening to Eddie Vedder's Ukulele Songs for inspiration.



So there you go, it's a lawless, toyless, punk Christmas up in here. We're flouting all the rules and thumbing our noses at conformity and tradition. My girls are weirdos who asked for crazy stuff for Christmas (I love those girls! This whole post is my humble brag about them because they truly are the bomb. I hope they never grow up and become normal people), and I think we made a couple of their loony little dreams come true. In that sense, we already had the best Christmas any parent could hope to achieve.

...Now on to the next Yuletide adventure! See y'all in the New Year!

Santa Claus did bring the ladies their harmonicas and recorders/flutaphones, among other things of course. Kate (who spent most of the holiday asking everyone if they had more presents for her - greedy!) said, "Mom, let's hurry back to Nana's house so we can see if Santa left my banjo there!! Poor girl, Santa is so disappointing. Maybe Daddy will buy you a banjo for Christmas next year if you practice your ukulele diligently.

Happy New Year, Everyone!