Quiet Christmas Corners

Our home has been anything but quiet these last few days.  The younger kids are buzzing about asking how many days and hours left until Christmas, I've been buzzing away on the sewing machine finishing last minute presents, the older boys are buzzing around the house with a new vaccum and Paul's clacking away on his laptop writing up a Chirstmas letter.  Right about now I've had enough to give me a headache so I'm taking some time out to catch my breath.  George is next to me in bed and we just watched this video of the song Still, Still, Still.  That is just what I needed.

In reflecting upon my favorite holiday moments this year I see that they were the ones that were the most still, happening in quiet little corners of our home.  Here they are:

The annual Christmas tree sleepover. This year everyone slept, no one threw up and they got to cuddle and share their hot chocolate and cookies with the kitties.

  

Paul read to them of all our past Christmases together, our favorite being our very first Christmas with no heat, no fancy food, and very little money.  There were few presents but also very few distractions and we were certainly present.  That first Christmas together we wrote of what we thought Christmas would be like in years to come and we laughed along side our children as we read accuracy of these predictions.  

On other occasions I've caught the kids in all sorts of imaginary play with the bottom 1/3 of our Christmas ornaments.  I just let them and have enjoyed repeated "shows" throughout the past week.  Some of those ornaments did break and we did our best to fix them, the rest have not made it back up on the tree but have found a safe home under the tree in a basket.

I also have enjoyed the chance to spy on some quiet Nativity play.  This year we found a really cool lit up manger to display our Playmobil Nativity set and George especially likes to sit at it.  I especially like to watch this unusual toddler stillness.

And probably the favorite corner of the house is this striped chair right next to the wood stove, it is rarely unoccupied.  There is a basket of favorite Christmas books just next to it so it is there that the kids quietly read or beg to be read to.  I'm grateful for the moments I stole away to find refuge there as well.

I'm off now to do a little baking, sew on 4 buttons, sneak in a shower, beg the kids to help clean up whatever mess my baking makes and then load them all in the van for the family festivities to begin.  And if I start to lose my breath in the limited time I have to accomplish that list, I will simply hum the song Still, Still, Still because that is how I wish to celebrate this year.