This was our second year of doing what is basically a minimalist Christmas. Our kids are young enough to have no idea what the “norm” is for most kids. They don’t expect a lot, and they haven’t really reached the age where they ask for things (mostly because they don’t watch commercials and have no idea what they “should want”). We started the morning with stockings in their beds, a tradition The Husband’s family always did. I loved it.  And then, they came downstairs, we sang “happy birthday” to Jesus, and we opened our gifts. We went with the “Something they want, Something they need, Something to wear, Something to read” theme again this year, and it was perfect.   I love the simplicity of 4 gifts from us.  I know as they grow, the gifts will be larger and probably of more monetary value, but this year was easy. And they were so excited and so grateful.  The kids played outside, and then they came in and drank their first cup...

Christmas morning arrived early here. Oliver was up a lot of the night, and The Husband spent the evening into the early morning hours putting together the activity table his dad built and the train we got for the kids.     This is the first Christmas that Jack really understood what was going on, and the delight in his eyes was precious when their daddy walked them into the room.  He went straight for the flashlights (he loves those things), but once he realized the train was for him (and her), he was all about the train. He spent all morning playing with it.  We do the 4 gifts "rule" for each kiddo. We weren't quite prepared for Olli, haha, so he only got something to read and a pair of gloves to grow into.  Something they want.  Something they need.  Something they wear.  Something they read.      The train is obviously not a true "need," but I figure there's not much a 3-year-old and a 2-year-old need...