Wrapping Up Christmas 2007

Andy, Braden, and Scotlyn with Grandma & Grandpa

Thanksgiving Day, 2007 in Mexico, MO

Andy with Santa at the Rutledge-Wilson Farm

Springfield, MO-December, 2007

Braden with Santa at the Rutledge-Wilson Farm

Springfield, MO-December, 2007

Scotlyn with Santa at the Rutledge-Wilson Farm

Springfield, MO-December, 2007

Braden waiting to see Santa at Bass Pro
Springfield, MO-Christmas Eve, 2007

Braden and Scotlyn at home on Christmas Eve, 2007

Scotlyn at home on Christmas Eve, 2007

Andy and Braden making cookies for Santa
At home-Christmas Eve, 2007

Andy opening a homemade present
At home-Christmas Eve, 2007

Braden opening a homemade Christmas present
At home-Christmas Eve, 2007

Andy and Braden early Christmas morning
At home-December 25, 2007

Scotlyn early Christmas morning
At home-December 25, 2007

Andy and Scotlyn
At home-December 25, 2007

Scotlyn with Grandma

Brookfield, MO-December 28, 2007

Scotlyn with Grandpa

Brookfield, MO-December 28, 2007

Andy, Braden, and Scotlyn with Grandma

Brookfield, MO-December 28, 2007

Andy and Braden playing in the snow at Grandma and Grandpa's!!!
Brookfield, MO-December 29, 2007

Our holiday season began a little later this year. Usually we begin our Christmas season when we put up the tree after Thanksgiving dinner. This year we had Thanksgiving dinner at my niece Amy's house and weren't home. The tree didn't go up until December 16th!!!

On December 5th, we recognized Saint Nicholas, the patron Saint of children. Many years ago I wanted to find a way to honor my German heritage at Christmas since there are so many wonderful German Christmas customs. That's when I discovered Saint Nicholas Eve and Saint Nicholas Day. (December 5th and 6th) Our family adopted the tradition and it is enjoyed so much by the kids. Andy, Braden, and Scotlyn each put a pair of their shoes on our front porch on Saint Nicholas Eve. Their letters to Saint Nicholas or Santa (Saint Nicholas' nickname) get put in a special basket next to the shoes. Saint Nicholas visits in the middle of the night when we're all sound asleep. He takes the Christmas letters and leaves gold coins in their shoes. (Actually chocolate coins wrapped in gold paper!)

Of course there was last minute Christmas gift shopping and visits to Santa. This year the kids were able to see Santa twice. We went to the grand opening of the Rutledge-Wilson Farm. The Christmas at the Farm Celebration included drinking hot chocolate, petting the farm animals, and chats with Santa. The traditional visit with Santa at Bass Pro was on December 24th and Braden was able to get in last minute requests.

After eating our traditional Christmas Eve spaghetti dinner, we baked and decorated cookies for Santa, made homemade Christmas decorations, played games, watched a movie about the baby Jesus, and opened our Christmas Eve gifts. Everyone fulfilled the requirement of the Christmas Eve gift exchange....the gifts must be homemade. We did not attend midnight Mass this year due to how cold it was and having baby Scotlyn. Of course, the kids left Santa his cookies and Diet Pepsi. (Braden thought Santa might like Diet Pepsi more than milk!) The reindeer were also remembered when we left a bowl of water and plate of oats on the porch. Boy, those reindeer were hungry since they ate the bowl and plate, too!!!!! Christmas Day was busy with opening presents, calling family, eating Christmas dinner, and having a birthday cake for Jesus.

We went up to Brookfield, MO to visit family on December 28th. My dad is still in a nursing home and mom lives in a small, but cute rental house. Dad was able to leave the nursing home and go to my sister's house for the day. Andy and Braden were happy to find out that several inches of snow had fallen in Brookfield and were able to play in it for a while. This was really the 1st time Braden had ever played in snow!

Our Christmas season ended on the twelfth day of Christmas...January 5th...Three King's Day. (The day the three wise men brought gifts to the baby Jesus.) This is the day we take our tree and decorations down.

Hopefully your Christmas was as blessed and merry as our Christmas was. Try to include family Christmas traditions that recognize your families' heritage and create new family Christmas traditions. Andy was the one who came up with the Christmas Eve gift exchange rule of homemade gifts only and it is so special. So many people get caught up in buying tons of presents and spending lots of money that the gifts really don't seem to come from the heart any more. I have to say the homemade gifts my kids made were more special and meaningful than any gift that could be bought. Their gifts were filled with love and just priceless. Andy, Braden, and Scotlyn will have memories of making homemade gifts.