Did he GET Christmas?

Most of my Christmas pictures are still on a memory card somewhere, but they are coming...loads of them. There will be even more after this weekend when we head up to see my husbands parents and celebrate with them, but for now I just want to really talk about Christmas and having a little one. 

For several weeks leading up to Christmas, I've talked to everyone it seems like about Jonah and his Christmas experience. In the elevator at work, in casual conversation at stores and check out counters, and with friends and family - everyone wanted to know if Jonah was ready for Christmas. So, I've been thinking a lot about what to do about Christmas and thinking about how much he really "gets". 

The boy knew nothing of Santa Claus until probably the week after Thanksgiving. He's still pretty young but is pretty smart, so I had to be careful with what I said. I don't want to not participate in the myth, but I don't want to over do it either. He understood and could repeat that Santa was coming and would bring him presents. We mentioned that he had to be a good boy for Santa to bring him presents, but really just to kind of tease and praise him for being good. He also knew that we were giving present to others as well and "helped" me wrap and put them under the tree. At this point I'm okay with just that, but I know next year, when he's three, will be whole different ball game. 

opening gifts at my parent's home on Monday night

Jonah about to help hand out gifts to out for the gift exchange at my grandparent's home on Christmas Eve

I attempted to do an advent study this year and made it through about four days and he just wasn't interested, so I just kind of gave up...on the whole family doing it. I should have kept up myself, but I just didn't. We attended an awesome Christmas program and he was so funny, singing along to songs (including O Little Town of Bethlehem very loudly in church), and after the nativity scene and everything was quiet he said outloud "I want to see that baby Jesus" and two rows in front of us turned around and laughed. So, he gets that Christmas is about Jesus too, but I don't know really know how much he gets. 

I guess I'm still kind of struggling with teaching him that Christmas is really about celebrating Jesus's birth and spreading the love that Jesus taught and showed us with everyone, but that's it's also okay to participate and have fun with Santa and reindeer and elves too! 

FaceTiming with Granddaddy on Christmas morning. Love those smiles! 

One thing I'm SURE he understood, is that, at Christmas you get to spend LOTS of time with your family. You get to share with them and play with them and tell them Merry Christmas over and over. So, if that's all he really takes away from it, I'm okay with that too!

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