Ho-Ho

Not feeling much like Christmas this year. It's the 4th in a row overshadowed by cancer and we are still not sure if we will be having a funeral pre-Christmas. Looking unlikely at this point though which is great.

However.

When you have small children you are pulled kicking and screaming into Christmas mode. Which is really really nice. Lovely in fact. From hand made Christmas ornaments to end of year productions, they know it's Jesus' birthday soon. And they are PUMPED.

So I thought instead of trying to make myself feel Christmassy we would do a couple of things with them to make the whole season more festive.

The first was going to see Santa at a fancy-pants department store. Last year I tried to go early and beat the crowds. Epic fail and I saw when we left that the lunchtime crowd was much smaller. Decided to try that time this year. As did all the other people who went early last year. I won't tell you how long we waited as I might cry, but the kids loved it. Hats off to all the vendors who have kid related stands full of goodies right along the queue path, is all I am saying.

Have to add that we have failed miserably in telling the kids that Santa is not real (and unrelated to the real meaning of Christmas). They truly and utterly believed they were in the presence of Santa. It was so funny. They stammered and stood with their hands clasped together looking up through their eyelashes at him. Promised him they would be good until Christmas. MJ and I loved it. You are only young once and man, it was adorable.

I think my smile says all you need to know about how long we waited

And today we are going to see a kids show about Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer. And we will take them to see the Paddington movie which looks fabulous.

Yup, I realise both these events AND the movie are non-Christ related. I am giving myself a break from the guilt attached to this. And promise myself next year we will be all about Advent. May skip the Santa visit once and for all, twice is enough surely?

Merry hoho. I love these two so much x