Seven Questions - Christmas Edition

I asked for Christmas questions last week on my Instagram and y'all DELIVERED!  I got so many good ones and today I'm going to answer seven and then next week I'll answer another seven.  Here we go!

- ONE -

When will you let your kids know about the Santa secret? 

Whenever they start asking questions :)  Luke has known for a couple of years now and it ended up being a really great experience vs. a sad one.  Mason and Griffin both still FULLY believe and it's just so sweet.  The video below talks about how I knew Luke was ready to be "in on" the Santa secret and how we told him...

- TWO -

Tips for finding good garland!  Mine are too thin and look sad!

All of my garlands are from Joann's Fabric and Crafts and I found them a few years ago on clearance.  I add in picks and ornaments and deco mesh (and lights because they're not pre-lit) and I definitely feel like they're worth the investment.  If you can't manage switching out allllll of your garlands at one time consider purchasing a nice one or two from Hobby Lobby or Michaels with a coupon (because they seem to carry the same products year to year) and in a few years you'll have them all switched out.

- THREE - 

Do you wrap Santa gifts?

This just kind of depends.  Growing up our Santa gifts were never wrapped which is how we did it the first few years we had kids BUT now that our kids are older and independent and coming down on their own in the mornings we've started wrapping them mainly because we don't want to miss their reactions! hahaha

Sometimes we have to get creative when we can't wrap the presents (like last year when G got a bike) and so last year we had our elf cause a little bit of last-minute mischief to keep the kids on the stairs until Dave and I were ready...

... and two years ago we wrapped up a note telling Griffin to go look on the porch for her present (a scooter) :) 

See... if these hadn't been wrapped we could have missed seeing these faces!!!

- FOUR - 

How many gifts do you get your kids and how many does Santa bring?

We get each of our kids three presents and then Sants brings them a stocking with lots of little things and then one bigger present.  We learned early on in parenthood how EASY it was to go WAAAAAYYY overboard when buying gifts so we decided to limit it to three presents.  I'm the first to admit that this is harder for me than Dave  (hahaha) and I'll occasionally put two things together and count it as one present :)  Like this year Mason's getting a personalized football and gloves wrapped up together in one box.

- FIVE - 

What is your favorite Christmas tradition you do with your family? 

I feel like this is a tie... I LOVE kicking off our season with our North Pole Breakfast because it's fun, it's the start of everything and I LOOOOVE putting it all together.  It's whimsical and magical and just so much fun.  But I also LOVE Christmas Eve church with our family.  It's something I grew up doing with my family and there is nothing more special than a candlelit "Oh Holy Night".  We've gone every year with our kids and I think last year may have been the first year that nobody fell asleep :)  

 

- SIX -

How do you divide time between parents, grandparents, etc.?

We have been VERY blessed over the years that this really has never been an issue.  Both sides of our family are VERY understanding and VERY accommodating and  we've never felt pressure to be places/split time on holidays.  

We get to spend time with my brother and his family on Christmas Eve which has become one of my favorite traditions.  Dave and I knew from VERY early on that we wanted to do Christmas morning with our kids at our house.  We always invite my parents to come and have brunch with us that morning (typically after my kids have opened all their Santa loot and presents from me and Dave) and then later in the afternoon we go to Dave's aunts house to see his parents and extended family (my parents go with us and it's always a great time).  Usually the week after Christmas we have Dave's parents and brother/SIL over for our "McChristmas" celebration.

I think that Dave's work schedule has helped us be flexible over the years and really hammered home the idea that it's not about WHEN you spend the time together but that you get to spend the time - so whether it's on actual Christmas day or the following week it really doesn't matter.  

- SEVEN - 

What's your favorite gift you have ever received?

This is such a fun question!  As a kid I have SUPER fond memories of getting a full-size Casio keyboard that I was OBSESSED with!  It had a ton of those demo songs (I have particular memories of Bossa Nova and I Shot the Sheriff - hahaha) and I thought I was SO COOL!!! I also remember getting a CD player in either the 6th or 7th grade that was a BIG deal! ;)  

As an adult, I think my favorite gift was a watch that Dave got me the first Christmas we were married.  It was a gorgeous Lois Hill watch that I had mentioned loving and it wasn't the watch as much as it was the lengths that he went to get it... there was ordering and backordering and multiple trips to the mall and I just remember how proud he was and how special I felt.  It's a sweet memory.  

Happy Wednesday, friends!!!