The odds are highly in favor of the 6am hour...
I literally can't wait.
I feel like I'm a kid all over again. So giddy with excitement, I can't sleep just thinking about what's ahead. This may one of the best parts of being a parent. Getting to experience Christmas, or more specifically, the magic of Christmas, through your child.
This year, they "get it". They know who Santa is. They tried their best to be good (although I learned the Beirne boys are ambivalent to vague Santa threats, and have no idea what coal is, they also don't "buy it" when you pretend to call Santa on your iPhone). They helped wrap presents. They painstakingly put sprinkles on sugar cookies (and when I say painstakingly I'm not kidding. Colin placed each sprinkle one by one). They said Merry Christmas. They cried when they met Santa. They sang songs . They made ornaments, hand print art, and enough Christmas themed artwork to cover the fridge top to bottom. They hung out under the mistletoe. They smiled for picture after picture (haha, I wish). They made their lists, and they changed their minds (ahem...the Polar Express Train that Colin told Santa he wanted after he told me for months he wanted a Diesel 10 train...)
When I stop think about it, yes, tomorrow morning is the "main event", but over the past month we've made so many memories, shared so many experiences, told so many stories, and (if we're being honest), ate so many cookies.
It really is about the season. And when you don't let the stress of Christmas get to you, it really is pretty amazing.
As parents, we plan, prep, organize, and do everything in our power to make Christmas perfect. But when it comes down to it, the cookies get burned, the wrapping would make Martha Stewart gasp, your children won't smile for your Christmas card picture, and you know what? It doesn't matter one bit.
Not one.
Because to children, cookies taste good no matter what. A present is a present, weather it's wrapped in silver, glitter, metallic paper, or just in a grocery bag. It's a present. And the photos? Well, my boys are in cahoots on that one. Last year, I sent a Christmas card with Jack's picture "outtake" and to this day it's one of my favorite pictures of him!
In four short weeks, we celebrated. We counted down (on our Pottery Barn Kids "Christmas Final Countdown Calendar"). We followed our Elf "Clap's" shenanigans. And we let the excitement build to unprecedented levels.
As a side note: I'm attributing my stress-free-ish season to Amazon.com, where 99% of my gifts were purchased. And I'm just throwing this out there, but Amazon, if you want to add another $100 to my Prime membership to deliver the gifts wrapped in Christmas paper I'd be the first to sign up.
Then tonight, we'll tuck the boys in bed, and race downstairs to pull a Christmas Eve all-nighter:
We will stuff stockings, inflate a bounce house, search for wrapped presents stashed in closets, under blankets, and in the basement. Wrap, label, and tie bows. Assemble bikes. Probably curse a lot (especially during the bike assembly). Eat cookies. Pour milk down the drain. Nibble a few bites from the carrots. And then we'll crawl into bed ourselves, ears perked for the first sound of someone waking up...on Christmas morning.
It's a lot of work. But it's all worth it.
Although Jack told Santa he wanted "nothin'" and I told them numerous times Santa was skipping the Beirne house this year, there will be presents under the tree. Although, I hope what we take away from Christmas this year is a season filled with togetherness, magic, and family - because in the end, that's what I asked Santa for.
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