Christmas at the Circus

It has become a Circus Fam tradition to eat Christmas Eve dinner at Boston Market.  We go to the 4:30 children’s service, then have dinner at Boston Market and then return for the 6:30 candlelight service at church.  There really isn’t time to eat dinner together and enjoy both services unless we eat out.  The horrendous service we received at Boston Market this year did cause all of us to question whether it may be the last year we partake of this tradition…

I LOVE the candle light service…this year my favorite parts were holding my nephew Eli on my lap while singing Silent Night during the candle lighting and the look of TOTAL glee on my 4 year old’s face as she held her candle ALL BY HERSELF.  (She kept grinning ear to ear and whenever I looked over at her she’d say, “Papa isn’t holding it… I am holding it ALL ALONE!”

Everyone enjoys putting up a figure on our nativity advent calendar.

Putting out cookies for Santa… this concept was lost on one of us, who thought the cookies CLEARLY were put out for him.

After MUCH waiting, it was FINALLY time to leave Mommy and Daddy’s room and see the tree! 

Since we are so fortunate to have both sets of grandparents and one set of aunt/uncle share Christmas morning with us… there are quite a lot of presents under our tree on Christmas morning!

I love the gaggle of cousins and uncles and Daddies and grandparents and presents and wrapping paper that makes up the morning…

She wanted to give Daddy a bag to put his wallet, keys, and badge in when he gets home from work each day.  That way he’ll always know where to find them in the morning when he’s leaving for work.  Thanks to Miss Jen for helping her sew her this “man purse” for Daddy.  Daddy’s favorite part?  That she labeled the front and back of the bag for him. 

Our 4 year old has been SO good about staying off of the top bunk till she’s 5.  (Circus Family bunk bed policy) So, for Christmas Mommy and Daddy and big sister let her have one night on the top bunk.

Watching him open and play with this tool bench was like déjà vu… as we gave this same tool bench to his older brother 5 Christmases ago… (it’s been living in the attic for a few years… waiting for a little brother to come along and use it)

I found American Girl dolls for the girls on Craigs List in March and have been holding on to them with eager anticipation to give them to the girls.  (Yes, this is the same Molly doll our oldest “borrowed” on her lunch date with Daddy a few weeks ago and when the girls went to a birthday party at the AG doll store last Wednesday these were the same dolls they “borrowed” to sit with at the party). 

                      

The day was topped off with Charlie Brown’s Christmas…

a piano recital by my 7 yr old and birthday cake for Jesus!

I love these traditions!

But most of all, I love sharing them with our extended family… so thankful to have Grandma and Papa, Nana and Pop, and Uncle Jim, Aunt Karen, Eli and Ben here to celebrate with us… many, many wonderful memories were made during our time together!