More Christmas

1. The Nativity

Brielle and Ava play with our Little People nativity set all day, every day. It's always scattered everywhere. I tell them the real story as we play "Baby Jesus", but you should hear some of the stories Brie has come up with when she's the one telling the story.

One morning I came to find everyone set up like this. She has added all the Disney Princesses to the story. Everyone was surrounding the baby Jesus staring down at him. Brie keeps turning off every single light in the house and closing all of the shutters so that no light comes in. I tell her no, to turn the light back on when I am in the middle of loading the dishwasher or something else and it is suddenly pitch black, but she tells me, "Shhhhhh! Baby Jesus is sleeping!".

2. A New Tradition

I am so excited about this. I have been wanting to find things that will always be our family traditions at Christmas time. Scott's dad is from Scotland and always made Scottish Shortbread. I thought this would be a great tradition for us to start. So, we decided that is what we will bake each year and take to all of our neighbors and friends.
I baked 6 batches of shortbread and still need to make some more. It is delicious and I was thrilled when Scott told me it tasted just like his dad's. Yahoo! Even without a spurdle. I made the fork marks around and in the center of my circle shortbread, but didn't know why I needed to do that other than it looked pretty. When I went to make the little tags I discovered why those marks where made by reading about Scottish Christmas traditions. So, this is what our tags said. I was so happy with how well this tied into Jesus Christ.

"We wish you a Merry Christmas with traditional homemade Scottish Shortbread from Clan Buchanan.

Scottish Shortbread was anciently called Sun cakes. Sun cakes were baked with a hole in the center and symmetrical lines around, representing the rays of the Sun. This pattern is now found on the modern Scottish Shortbread.

We hope you feel the warmth and light of the Son as we celebrate His birth!

With love, Scott, Alicia, Brie and Ava"

Yesterday, we all went out around the neighborhood delivering our shortbread. Scott wore his kilt and all!

3. Another Letter to Santa

Brie and I made a Reindeer craft using paint on her hands and feet. It was cute and fun. When we were done she got out a marker and pretended to write a letter to Santa. She was talking and talking, telling him everything he should know and asking lots of questions. I thought it was funny, so I started recording. Of course, that is when she got shy and didn't know what to say anymore.

In this video she asks Santa - How is your wife? How is Rudolph?. I prompted her on the reason why she was telling Santa she had been naughty - of course, because of Ava. What makes me laugh so hard though is that when she tells Santa she has been good, she says it's only been in privacy! So that explains it! That's why I haven't seen her be good. She saves that only for privacy! Hilarious!