We began our Christmas season with?a gingerbread house and?tree decorating party!? We had so much?fun kicking off the season with?a few?friends and family.?
?Everyone?helped decorate our 10'?white pine tree ~ it was certain?done with?lots of 'spirits' and Christmas love.
The finished product was simply gorgeous!
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?After we?eat pizza?and finished the Christmas tree, it was time to decorate the gingerbread houses and trains with the kids.? If you've ever embarked on this type of holiday tradition, you know how much children reaaly enjoy this type of project.? Who doesn't love frosting, tons of different candy and being able to use your creative juices to construct your own Christmas palace!?Unfortunately, Nathan didn't have a nap, so?he fell fast asleep before the gingerbread decorating began, but we saved him lots of supplies to work on his very own Christmas train.
This very well may be incorporated into our annual Christmas cookie exchange cocktail party next year, so everyone can partake in the fun - together.????
Brunch with Santa at McGrievy's in Waterford has become a tradition in our home?for the?past two?years, since Nathan now knows who Ho Ho is.? This year, we were blessed to enjoy our morning with Nathan's cousin Lily and her little friend, Alex.? The food was great and the kids had a great time?visiting with Santa and receiving their first gift of the season.??
Our next Christmas adventure featured?hot chocolate and?the Polar Express!!?Nathan is such a huge fan of trains, this was a must-do activity again this year.?We went on the Polar Express in Utica last year, but were less than thrilled?with the long drive (3-hours round trip), long train ride (2-hours) and?cold chocolate rather than hot, so this year?had to be different.??For the second season in a row, the Polar Express is offered in Saratoga, which is super close to home and last year I was unable to purchase tickets because I waited to long.? Not this year.? Although, I waited long enough that we were only able to buy dome seats for a Thursday evening,?but I wanted those seats becasue?it's?like sitting in a booth at?a restaurant rather than a regular train seat.? If you are taking this train, buy the dome seats,?so worth it, but hard to get, so purchase your tickets early!
We had a great time on this train!? We brought pizza?and enjoyed dinner on the train.? Our fellow passengers were wondering where their pizza was and the conductor said, we were the second family he saw bring a pizza on the train!?It was dinner-time and the kids needed to eat! :-)??We played holiday trivia, read stories, sang Christmas carols (jingle bells - Nathan's favorite Christmas song),?drank hot and delicious coco?served in our very own Polar Express mugs, ate?a yummy sugar cookie with sprinkles, visited the North Pole and had a wonderful visit from Santa and his elf, Snowflake!??Saratoga does it right!? Althoug, I'm not one bit surprised.??We will certainly do this again next year and dome seats are a must!? I've already put a reminder in my?2013 calendar, so we can order them early and get a weekend date.
Our next Christmas adventure was our annual?Christmas party with my side of the family.? We usually rotate homes and this year?we offered our home and planned a really fun day!? We?began with a family card game tradition?~?three/thirteen (it's sort of like rummy).??Every adult in?our family knows how to play this game because we played it a lot?growing up, so we thought it would be super fun to?play as adults while the kids made some?fun?Christmas projects with Miss Cole.?
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When it comes to Christmas projects, I really try to choose?something?meaningful -?that we'll enjoy for years to come.? I'm really proud of this years' selections!!? We made hand print?snowman Christmas tree ornaments,?paper snowflakes?in memory of the?Sandy Hook Elementary victims and hand print?Rudolf the reindeer hats.
These ornaments were super easy and turned out absolutely adorable!? With just some red and green Christmas balls, white fabric paint and markers and you have yourself a personalized keepsake?ornament.? The kid's hands are painted with?white fabric paint and then they grasp the?ornament, leaving behind?their hand print, which is used to make the snowmen.? Thank you Miss Cole for all your work on these ornaments?~ we love them!!??
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The next project was: Snowflakes for?Sandy Hook.? The elementary school's PTA is constructing a Winter Wonderland at the school for the children's return?on January 12th, and they've asked people to make paper snowflakes to hang everywhere in the school, so it looks like a winter wonderland and?because no two snowflakes are alike.We even asked the adults to make a snowflake and they?came out awesome!? My 80+ year old?grandmother?even made a snowflake for the children.?
These snowflakes will be?mailed tomorrow.
Our final festivities began on the night before Christmas with Aunt Sandy and family, who were able to schedule?a special visit from the oh-so-busy Santa himself!? ??
After we left Aunt Sandy's, we had to get everything ready for Santa to come down?our chimney,?including test driving the merchandise!? :-)
Christmas?day was super fun and Nathan had a great time opening and enjoying his gifts and spending time with family.
?We certainly had a December to remember and are looking forward to bringing in the new year,? especially considering a certain little someone is about to turn five years old!!!? I can't believe it!
Stay tuned....
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Source: http://nathandanielterry.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-december-to-remember.html
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