My Favorite Christmas Things

I love Christmas with kids around.  There is something about the joy and anticipation in a child's face on Christmas day that is so fun to watch.  I have so many Christmas memories with kids in them.  In fact, last year was the only year I have spent without kids as part of my Christmas day.

Growing up, there were lots of kids around. I remember younger siblings waking me up on Christmas morning begging me to help get mom and dad up.  I remember walking out into the living room with my younger siblings (there were eight of them for those of you who don't know!) and seeing their eyes light up at the sight of all the presents.

Then I went to Thailand, where I spent five Christmases.  The first, I was caring for a friend's six Thai foster babies, all under the age of two!  Wow, that was a fun Christmas! 

For the years following I had foster kids of my own.  I have so many good memories of decorating our little fake tree, listening to kid's praise Christmas music, making sugar cookies and paper chains and going to the orphanage for an afternoon of games and fun Christmas celebrations. 

One of my favorite Christmas memories though is of my foster kids acting out the Christmas story. J was Mary with a blue blanket wrapped around her, C was Joseph with a towel over his head, and A was baby Jesus, sometimes the other J was an angel...precious kids they would walk from one end of the house to the other to get to Bethlehem. Then they would stop and play with the nativity. This nativity is the one toy I kept of my kids, I couldn't let it go, way too many memories.  I can't wait to see our kids playing with this nativity!


There is something so very special about a nativity set at Christmas, it keeps everything in perspective.  Reminds us what the season is all about.

While in Thailand I found this hand painted nativity.

 

Complete with an elephant!

 

My deepest prayer for my siblings, for my foster kids, for my future kids, for myself, and for you is that we would always remember the true meaning of Christmas and that it all started because of the baby Messiah-He is truly the greatest gift of Christmas and He gives us reason to celebrate.

 

So children or not this Christmas, I will celebrate because He came and was born.  Born that He might bring hope and joy and even more, everlasting life. Merry Christmas!!