So there we were, my Helen and I, getting our babbas ready for bed, while Mum slept and Dad did what Dad’s do best (who knows what?) when there was a knock at the door. Scooping Finley up, I answered the door, and there was a little lady elf. “Get ready!” She whispered. “Santa is on his way…” The street was filled with jingle bells, and I ran back into the house to get Gabriel and Mum, and soon all of us were standing in the porch, watching Father Christmas trudge up the drive. “Ho Ho Ho” He said. As he would. Finley and Gabriel froze. I mean of all the wonders they expect to find at Nana’s house, Santa on the doorstep is not one of them. “So,” said Santa, “What would you little boy’s like me to bring you for Christmas?” “Batman, and Spiderman and cars” said Gabriel from behind Helen’s legs. Presents and chocolate and lot’s and lot’s of magic” whispered Finley, his eyes as big as saucer’s, taking his lollipop and watching Santa climb back into his Christmas Caravan and drive off to the NorthPole… It was a magical moment, brought to us courtesy of the local RoundTable. But it’s got me worried. Batmen, Spidermen, cars and chocolate I can do. But Magic? How on earth do I provide magic on Christmas Morning? How do you do it? How do you make Christmas the wonder it is supposed to be? Any tricks a relatively new Mummy should know, or should I just leave it to Father Christmas?? Help!
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Alison, No doubt you will make Finley's Christmas more magical than he could imagine. Here are some things we do for our 3 munchkins that they LOVE. We don't put out any presents until they've gone to bed…NONE. On Christmas morning, they find all their packages (wrapped) and some left unwrapped (special requests from Santa) under the tree. They assume all are from Santa (I hide the paper so they never have seen it either; it all appears as if from the North Pole). Also, we put no tinsel on the tree until they are sleeping…then we drape it all over the tree, over their stockings, down the hall and the stairs (as if Santa dropped it checking in on them at night). Of course, we nibble on the cookies and milk left for Santa, and we make sure we make the carrots left outside look nibbled on too (the reindeer always get food as well). Lastly, we put the baby Jesus in all the children's nativity sets on Christmas eve after church. The children are so excited about that; it's amazing how much they cherish that ritual too. They each get new jammies after church on Christmas eve as well. Make it magical for you too; when they are asleep, pour some wine, put on some music, and enjoy playing Santa Claus! Have fun!! I adore your website…check it everyday. Meredith Devereaux
Wonderful ideas, Meredith. I agree…it doesn't take much to be magic at this age. We have our boys close up the doors to the fireplace at night before bed and then when they come down in the morning the doors are thrown wide open and ashes scattered on the hearth. Like Meredith there are no presents under the tree the night before. I always try to get them the couple special things they've asked for and I'm lucky that they haven't asked for lots and lots. Last year our oldest was amazed by the plastic sandbox in the living room. How on earth did Santa get that down the chimney! Happy Christmas!
Ah, Christmas magic! How I loved being Santa's helper when my daughter was a little one! The one bit of magic that lived every year for her was her very own letter from Santa. She always had one for him, left beneath the tree with his milk and cookies and reindeer snacks (one year, it was a green lollipop because to my 4 year old, that was THE best treat ever!)….but back to the letter. I helped write hers while she dicated then she wrote it when she learned how. I always made sure she had ample paper to scribe on since dear old Santa would add his own note to hers to find when she found her presents. We still have all the letters. Granted, they are not tucked nice and neat, bound with satin ribbons as they probably should be but rather, they are scattered among Christmas stuff, inside family Bibles, and maybe even in a favorite cookie cookbook. They serve as little heart gifts to me when I stumble upon one. I feel blessed to revisit that moment of innocent childhood and perhaps, one day, I will gather them all together and present them to her with a Baby's First Christmas card…hopefully not in the near distant future! Anyway, THAT was her bit of Christmas magic….precious words written by Santa's hand (with a bit of "Mommy Magic" helping out) and treasured more than the latest Barbie doll! Have a blessed, magical Christmas. Enjoy EVERY single second because "tomorrow", Finley will be off in college and you will wait as a child for his rare visit home to refill your heart's magic pot!
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Alison,
No doubt you will make Finley's Christmas more magical than he could imagine. Here are some things we do for our 3 munchkins that they LOVE. We don't put out any presents until they've gone to bed…NONE. On Christmas morning, they find all their packages (wrapped) and some left unwrapped (special requests from Santa) under the tree. They assume all are from Santa (I hide the paper so they never have seen it either; it all appears as if from the North Pole). Also, we put no tinsel on the tree until they are sleeping…then we drape it all over the tree, over their stockings, down the hall and the stairs (as if Santa dropped it checking in on them at night). Of course, we nibble on the cookies and milk left for Santa, and we make sure we make the carrots left outside look nibbled on too (the reindeer always get food as well).
Lastly, we put the baby Jesus in all the children's nativity sets on Christmas eve after church. The children are so excited about that; it's amazing how much they cherish that ritual too.
They each get new jammies after church on Christmas eve as well.
Make it magical for you too; when they are asleep, pour some wine, put on some music, and enjoy playing Santa Claus!
Have fun!!
I adore your website…check it everyday.
Meredith Devereaux
Wonderful ideas, Meredith. I agree…it doesn't take much to be magic at this age. We have our boys close up the doors to the fireplace at night before bed and then when they come down in the morning the doors are thrown wide open and ashes scattered on the hearth. Like Meredith there are no presents under the tree the night before. I always try to get them the couple special things they've asked for and I'm lucky that they haven't asked for lots and lots. Last year our oldest was amazed by the plastic sandbox in the living room. How on earth did Santa get that down the chimney! Happy Christmas!
Ah, Christmas magic! How I loved being Santa's helper when my daughter was a little one! The one bit of magic that lived every year for her was her very own letter from Santa. She always had one for him, left beneath the tree with his milk and cookies and reindeer snacks (one year, it was a green lollipop because to my 4 year old, that was THE best treat ever!)….but back to the letter. I helped write hers while she dicated then she wrote it when she learned how. I always made sure she had ample paper to scribe on since dear old Santa would add his own note to hers to find when she found her presents. We still have all the letters. Granted, they are not tucked nice and neat, bound with satin ribbons as they probably should be but rather, they are scattered among Christmas stuff, inside family Bibles, and maybe even in a favorite cookie cookbook. They serve as little heart gifts to me when I stumble upon one. I feel blessed to revisit that moment of innocent childhood and perhaps, one day, I will gather them all together and present them to her with a Baby's First Christmas card…hopefully not in the near distant future! Anyway, THAT was her bit of Christmas magic….precious words written by Santa's hand (with a bit of "Mommy Magic" helping out) and treasured more than the latest Barbie doll!
Have a blessed, magical Christmas. Enjoy EVERY single second because "tomorrow", Finley will be off in college and you will wait as a child for his rare visit home to refill your heart's magic pot!
Oh, Alison, how funny! You, of all people! Alison MAGIC May… How incredibly funny. What a question! Hug!