Traditions

I've really grown to love our Hallmark ornament tradition and look forward to it every year. But there's a difference between how it plays out in my head and how it really goes down. As the kids are getting older, I'd like for them to have some input, if not a final say, in which ornament they pick as "theirs" for the year. But there are some ornaments that I'd like for them to pick and some that I wouldn't. And guess which ones they want?

They were both going nuts in the store, so excited, touching every example and picking up the boxes (placed perfectly at toddler height). No matter how I tried to steer Katy toward the baking or even cell phone ornaments, she insisted that the only choices were the princess ones (either Disney or Barbie). We've tried not to push the princess thing, and she isn't princess obsessed, but she is for sure a girly girl who loves dresses. She also wanted one that "did something" (i.e. lit up), so she ended up with Barbie:

David was running from train to car to truck to tractor and back to truck, back to train, etc. And he was downright giddy about an ornament that looked like an elaborate train set where the train moved in and out of mountains. It was $45. He loved it so much that we considered splurging on it. But then I came to my senses and allowed him to choose from several others that were 1/3 of the price. He settled on the police car (that he thinks resembles the one from Disney's Cars), that actually works on a motion detector and scolds you for peeking.

As we put this on the tree, along with the yellow convertible from last year, David had a TOTAL meltdown that we weren't going to let him play with them. Crocodile tears. So then I thought, why can't he play with them? Won't they be cuter on his tree as a grownup if they are a little worn from love? This isn't a money making venture. So he played with them for several hours while we decorated. Which is a step for me, you guys, because I store these things in their original boxes.

I also had to let go a bit for Luke's ornament, because my initial assumption was to get the token "Babies 1st Christmas" ornament. But Brian talked me into getting the handprint kit, since we haven't done anything like that for Luke yet. And we'll put his picture in the other side as soon as we...*ahem*...get some prints made.

I think a new favorite tradition of mine is opening the Christmas decoration box to discover the after-season clearance things I bought and have forgotten about. This year included silver tinsel, a berry wreath for the door, a stuffed Santa, and a stocking for Luke. Also Brian's mom had given us his childhood ornaments, so we've added those to the tree this year. We were able to give my sister a bunch of spare decorations this year, so she can get her own tree and decorate her apartment. That was fun to do as well. So now our tree is entirely our own childhood ornaments and the Hallmark ones that we've gotten for the kids.

Seriously can't believe that Christmas is here. This fall has flown by...