Christmas Traditions

Posted on | December 13, 2011 | 10 Comments

It’s the last week of school for M this week and we both can’t wait! Activities are winding down too with gymnastics being the only thing still going until next week. Presents have been trickling in too and hopefully by early next week we’ll all be ready for Christmas and Santa.

Did I tell you that Christmas is my favourite holiday? I love Christmas for all sorts of different things but while it might sound very materialistic, the best part of Christmas day for me has always been the glow on M’s face on Christmas morning. There’s something very magical that warms one’s heart when a child who believes sees what Santa had brought her. I think it’s that special feeling that makes parents work extra hard to be Santa’s best helper. We don’t want our children to loose that magic and we don’t want that magic to leave us too.

I didn’t grow up with the Christmas that I try to have with hubby and the girls, the girls mostly since hubby’s at work through most of it. When I was still in Indonesia my paternal grandmother would celebrate Santa Clause day around December 5th. She’d take us to see Santa and I remember being terrified because Zwarte Piet might take me away (I am not sure why I thought I was naughty). We’d then stop at a Dutch pastry shop and we could get whatever we wanted. After we came home, she’d serve Spekulaas and other goodies. Then come Christmas eve and we’d go to midnight mass and that’s pretty much it. There’s no waking up to presents. That was my Catholic Dutch-Indonesian Christmas.

Then we moved to America and while I did have a Christmas tree, received Christmas presents for a couple of years from Santa (even though they were never what I asked for), the tooth fairy came and I think we went to a friend to do some Easter egg hunting, we never did anything at home as a family because my parents were (still are) Muslims. And to be fair, none of the western traditions were done in Indonesia. There’s no Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday or a huge increase in spending before Christmas, just Mass. The one big thing that Indonesians did when I was there was Valentine’s day.

Before I go on, if you’re a tad bit confused, I grew up in a multi-religion family, Christian/Catholic + a smidge of Confucius (ancestral respect and that there’s a chance of an before/after life) from my dad’s side and Muslim from my mom’s. My parents gave their children free reign on who/what we want to follow since they don’t believe in forcing a belief onto another person, even if it’s their child. I was introduced to the Muslim religion but just never had the interest and I grew up mostly with my dad’s family and always attending Catholic school.

Because I grew up with so little holiday tradition, I told myself after I got pregnant that our family will have some sort of a tradition and if I only have the energy to do one, Christmas is it. I chose Christmas because of all the holidays it was the one that was somewhat celebrated when I was little sans the magical feeling. I think I chose Christmas because I selfishly want to experience the feeling that I never got when I was a child via my children (or M back then).

But I suck at keeping the tradition flowing.

Prime example: The Advent Calendar. It was a lot easier when it was just M. I’d stick a piece of chocolate on each date and M (who doesn’t like sweets) would move the star one date at a time and get the right amount, ONE, of candy. With Jovie, I have to fill the calendar one day at a time. Jovie LOVES sweets and if I put 24×2 chocolates on the first of December all 48 pieces would be gone that day. So to not torture my last born, I put two pieces of chocolate inside the right date and Jovie survives. There is one slight problem. This mama is forgetful and so there had been many times where I had to run downstairs after the kids were awake. Actually, after day three M would ask if mama elf went and filled the calendar each and every morning and 80% of the time I’ve had to run downstairs and refill.

Another example: Christmas cards. I think I might just win that world cup for the biggest Christmas card mailing looser. It’s not that I don’t have any or that they’re not filled out. They just never leave my desk to get posted.

Despite my inability to be on top of things we have Christmas traditions and I think, for now at least, it’s all that matters!

A summary of our Christmas tradition: We do the advent calendar. We stay home on Christmas day. We each buy and/or make a Christmas tree decoration. We bake. We eat ham. We erect the now (sometimes crooked) 13 yrs old tree. We use blinking white lights on the tree.

I want to do the Elf on Shelf but for now he’ll just be Elf on Tree. Elf on Shelf would end up like the Advent calendar if I try!

I am hoping to see a gigantic ‘OH’ from Jovie on Christmas morning. She’s a more animated little being and I can’t wait to see which expression she’ll use. Jovie wants two big things, Peppa Pig and a kitchen. She loves to cook and M’s old kitchen fell apart earlier in the year. Jovie still cooks but her stove top is currently the couch.

I wish you all a great weekend and I hope you find Christmas fun and magical too!

Royal Ballet Exam

Posted on | December 8, 2011 | 1 Comment

Last week I posted a ballet bun that I did. Today I have for you the bun that her teacher did for the Royal Ballet exam that M participated in last Saturday. While lovely, M said she loves my bun the best still. Awwww… {::SMILES}.

I think (without looking at her dance on Saturday) Emma did well in her exam. How well I don’t know but based on her smiles when she came out of the room and what I’ve seen in the last few weeks, M will either pass or get a merit. Anything more will be a bonus. As long as she passes I’ll be happy!!

I haven’t shared a lot of Jovie lately and so here she is:

She was showing me how cute she was. Like her Halloween bag? My friend, a talented artist, made that for all the kids who came to her party a few months ago. She hand-sewed everything. The ‘bat’ was made out of felt, fabric, and thread. Super duper cute! I’ll have to take a proper photo of it one day! Jovie LOVES this bag though. Jovie loves candies and it’s no surprise that she’s still stuck on Halloween. Every day she wants to trick-or-treat!!

Here they are, coloring on a playmat that they got from ‘Santa’ at M’s school’s Christmas Bazaar.

Until next time and if you like my little Christmas tag, do create one too and submit it to Waltzingmouse’s sketch challenge! It’s this week’s sketch!!!

Favorite Fall Colors

Posted on | November 20, 2011 | 3 Comments

These colors has been my favorite colors the last few months. I’ve been loving it so much that the clothes I purchased recently have all been a combo of these colors. They’re just so fall don’t you think?

Just a little post from me. I wanted to share this yesterday but my Internet was down. The card’s inprised by Waltzingmouse’s sketch challenge for this week. It’s a layered card challenge and here are my layers.

Have a great one all and until next time!

A Wee Merry

Posted on | October 23, 2011 | 2 Comments

Merry Christmas that is.

If you’re a card maker, have you started your Christmas cards yet? If not, you should! Two months away and it’s one of my favorite holiday!

I’ll make this post short and sweet. Card created using Waltzingmouse’s sketch for this week. Do check it out!!

I Was Organized

Posted on | October 6, 2011 | 2 Comments

I went to my neighbor friend’s house today for a re-do photo shoot and was given the tour of her home. This friend of mine’s pregnant and so of course I got to see the baby room. I LOVE her baby room! It was just the perfect neutral tone with everything organized into cute little cubbies.

The organization reminded me of when M was just born. Her room wasn’t as nicely done but it had similar organization theme. I had bins for diapers, burp clothes, hats, toys, etc.

Fast forward… I have Jovie’s clothes stacked on top of her changing table. M’s is stuffed in her dresser cause that’s just how M puts clothes away, I have junk modeling everywhere, bits and pieces of toys under the sofa, plastic fantastic toys that makes noises, etc. Hubby blames all that on my lack of cleaning/organization ability and me… it’s just what happens when you have two young (creative) kids.

You’d think I don’t buy the child toys but Emma would always get very excited when I receive a package. She’d jump up and down and go: “Mommy, can I have the box, please?” For what this time? I said and she’s reply with something like, “My dino needs a house.” So off she’d go with the box and 30 minutes later I’d hear, “Mommy, come see my dino’s new house.” So up I’d go and in one of the IKEA EXPEDIT square I saw a dino (cardboard) house with furniture made out of whatever M found and of course the dinosaur. On the floor I saw the previous occupier of that square, a beautiful wooden doll house as tall as Emma, and a pretty Le Toy Van ranch collecting dust.

And Jovie… I think her current goal in life, second to throwing tantrums, is to misplace every single thing she touches.

Hubby might not agree but ahh…. those were the days when I was just a bit more organized…

Hope you’ve enjoyed WPlus9′s release and on their website right now shopping for yummy new stamps!! Take care!