It's Christmas Time...

A time when we get to do lots of crafts, decorate the house, and hunt elfie.

Christmas is probably our favorite time of year. The whole thing is sparkly and magical. The kids are growing up way too fast (three are teenagers now!), but the youngest two are still in the childhood phase where everything is suuuper exciting and fun and is met with squeals and wonder. The teens are in a fun phase, too, it's just a little different than before. It involves a lot more eye rolls.

Ella is 10 years old now and is pretty much insane. As you can see in the photo, she was trying to eat the Christmas lights, once she realized she was on camera.

This year we're trying the Christmas tree out in the living room for the first time. The best way to decorate it, according to the kids, is with all of the lights off. It worked out pretty good! (I should probably take a photo of the final product. We also need to remember to put the Christmas topper on before we put the tree up or something. We never did figure that out.)

In my family growing up, my mom started doing the tradition of Elfie when my baby sister was little. It's a little "elf" that comes and hides a present every day for the 12 or 24 days before Christmas. I have no idea how this compares to Elf on the Shelf, but this isn't that (even if it is) because this came first.

This is our Elfie. He's a Christmas gnome elf (and clearly has trouble wrapping presents sometimes). Every morning the kids wake up to a little present. They've gotten into the habit of hunting elfie when they get up. Like, if Elfie was alive, he would be afraid for his life as they search for him.

next

previous