'twas the season

Christmas officially started with the tradition of cutting down the tree.  We met the Dyar family on the mountain and got down to choosing from a very sparse selection of trees, apparently the forest wasn't interested in producing perfectly shaped trees.  So after almost settling on a cute Charlie Brownesque tree, we actually ended up getting a really pretty one.  By the time we remembered to take a picture, the kids already had their wet boots off, so hence the barefoot picture.  It is so great to cut down your own lovely smelling tree, and we were thankful to tromp around in the snow with the our friends.  

christmas card family pic in woodland park

and the garden of the gods (less successful)

Salome as a snowflake in her class musical, Ephraim was in it at the same time, which was a treat but somehow only have video of him being in it!

Our snowflake

Different for us this year was to make a Jesse tree, and each night read an advent calendar book, in which each night a symbol was focused and a correlating ornament made.  Each symbol represented a different aspect of Christmas and the birth of Christ.  This really helped bring a little more focus on the reasons we celebrate Christmas.  Life always seems to spin much faster during the holidays and it seems the older I become I long for the basics, Jesus, family time, and friends.  We pair the gifts down to five each for the kids and that helps.  We use five categories of something they need, something they want, something they can read, something they can wear, and something to create with.  It helps me focus on what I really want them to have and not buy extra junk they won't play with.  Anyways, this year was good, and I do have memories of sitting on the couch together as much as possible during December (no we did not actually do every night, or even close to it, but still!) talking about Jesus and what it really meant for Him to come here and be with us.  I have never really thought so much about His incarnation on this level before.  He came so that he could be subject to our very imperfect world, taking on an imperfect human form, and show us how we can survive here, as well as to make a way for us to find a way that is greater, higher, and filled with the deepest love than we could ever imagine.   Beyond all of the crazy ways our now modern Christmas traditions came about, there is still the simple core of his love, that brings life in the most unimaginable ways.

Another thing we did with our community group was to have a traditional advent reading, with our families around the Jesse tree.  This was special too.  Being together, being quiet and singing together was good.  Special thanks to Anthony for bringing us live music.