It's a Party
"It's a party!" These have been the words Eli has been exclaiming all day today. It started while we were eating Cherrios this morning. Why is it a party? Because we are celebrating Jesus' birthday.I tried explaining to Eli who Santa Clause is and what he is all about. Eli was very uninterested, he cared little for the old guy in a red outfit with a crazy white beard.
But...Eli totally understands and cares about birthdays. Eli's favorite book right now is Curious George and the Birthday Surprise. We read it several times and day and often Eli will even read it to me- well from memory :)
Eli totally gets what birthdays are all about. He knows how great they are and that we get to eat cake and decorate and have a party. We do this several times a year as birthdays are regular annual events for everyone around us- for everyone ever born! So after failing to get the Santa idea across to Eli, I was not dissappointed. Instead Eli knows the true meaning of Christmas perhaps better than much of the world!
He knows it a party for Jesus celebrating His birth. He knows that the way we decorate for Jesus' birthday is with pretty lights and Christmas trees and figurines reenacting the night He was born. I also told Eli that Jesus is so nice that He shares His presents with everyone and that's why we all get gifts on Jesus' birthday. Another reason we get presents is because we are so happy that He was born that we want to celebrate and make those around us happy too- that is why we bless our friends and family with gifts on Jesus birthday. It's a lot like when Eli had his own birthday party- not only did Eli get gifts but he sent all of his friends home with gifts too (only we call them party favors). So on Jesus' birthday we get great party favors!
Eli is so excited about the big birthday party we are having tomorrow. He has not stopped talking about it. And each time we read Curious George I am able to reinforce the idea.So Eli and I's first Christmas tradition that we are starting as a family is making a cake and cookies on Christmas Eve and then tomorrow on Christmas we will get to have cake for breakfast and sing happy birthday to Jesus- what a treat!
Ok...so it is Christmas Eve right- and that means it's time for us to make our cake and cookies for the celebration tomorrow. Boy did we do more than just make cake and cookies- we made a huge mess and had a great time doing it!!! This was Eli's first time using a rolling pin and cookie cutters- he was all about it. He had to pick the perfect cookie cutter and the perfect spot for it on the dough each time. He also loved pushing the dough around- that was ton of fun.
But I think what was the most fun for him was playing with the flour. We had flour everywhere- he was a great helper! We had it on the wall, on the cabinets, on the floor, on our hair- well all over us really- and of course on the dough.Eli, a boy after his daddy's heart, was taking fistfuls of the dough and eating it- a lot of it. (It's Christmas Eve we can eat a ton of cookie dough once a year- that's ok- it's all about having fun- that's what I had to remind myself!) But after Eli had eaten probably the equivalent of ten cookies worth of dough, it was time to redirect his attention and limit him a bit. I was partly successful.
I guess Eli was really hungry because what was his next delicacy of choice? Flour! Straight out of the bag on his tiny fingers and into his wide open mouth and all over his face and well everywhere else along the way! He loves to eat flour- who knew!
We had so much fun making the cookies and afterwards in the bathtub we got to make paper mache' from washing off all the flour that was covering Eli's body in the water. Then we read Curious George and the Birthday Surprise and it was time for Eli to join Grover and Bigbird in his bed and drift off to dreamland. He is peacefully getting his zzzz's now as I write this.Twas' the day before Christmas and all through the house not a creature is stirring...not even an Eli.
Merry Christmas.
Which leads beautifully to my next fit of discussion. It's far from theological but still worth commenting on. What is with the phrase 'Seasons Greetings'?!? When I was trying to order Christmas Cards this year there was only one card to choose from which said Merry Christmas and it was so cheesy that it was not an option. Most the other cards said 'Happy Holidays' or 'Seasons Greetings'. Sure that's sweet and all but come on...who ever walks around and says to people 'Seasons Greetings'! No one I've ever known! So why do we feel the need to say it on all our Christmas Cards!!!
This year I went hippy chic and used a simple card that said 'Peace' and had a twig on it- it was the best I could do amoung the pour choices of photo card options. I hope next year the industry is not quite as vague and can actually remember that the name of this season is Christmas and that Merry Christmas is an appropriate greeting for the seasons greetings!!!Merry Christmas...it's a party!!!!
posted by Kellie # 2:30 PM
