The Magic of the Season

Today is the official start of my Christmas season.  My grandkids come today to "help granny" decorate the house.

This tradition started - ummmmmmmmm - I guess it must be at least 9 years ago when eldest grandson was only a baby - and mom and dad didn't seem to have 2 minutes to spare for themselves.  Granny offered (as part of their Christmas present) a day to themselves to do whatever they wanted/needed to get done.  (Mind you I did add - 'don't come back pregnant!' cause in those days I wasn't sure this relationship would last - what did I know ???!!!  Now they are married - house in the burbs - with 3 kiddies!!)


Anyway I digress.......... 

For 9 years (at least - whose counting??) the grandkids have arrived on my doorstep mid morning and have spent the day with granny creating some Christmas magic.  Over the years we have made more gingerbread houses than I can count (and they inevitably fell apart on the way home in the car) .. simple gingerbread men ... we have made decorations (with LOADS of sparkles!!) and mountains of other crafts.  Granny has taken pictures of them till they are "blinded by the light"....... W used to come and he and the kids would set up the Christmas train.... more than a few years under the tree ... other years down in the basement play room............ 

Granny always made sure the lunch was less than "Canada Food Guide" quality......usually involving hot dogs or hamburgers and chips and cookies and juice.  (ok the juice might fit in to the guide)

The ornaments would get hung lopsided on the tree.. and usually in a clump around the bottom........ the end tables would have bits and pieces of Christmas plunked on them to add a "je ne sais quoi" quality to them.  

As the years have gone by - and the baby grandson has grown and become an 11 year old helper - things are more orderly - but nonetheless sparkly and fun.  With 3 kiddies there are now moments of arguments and tears.... BUT still this day creates a wee bit of Christmas magic ..... for granny at least.


Apparently (I have been informed) that for the last 3 mornings my daughter would lie in bed in the early hours and listen to eldest grandson explain to middle grandson (better known as Pigpen) that NO today was not the day to go to granny's - that it was a school day... and blah blah blah ... BUT SATURDAY was the day to go to granny's.  It makes me smile that they are excited to come - because I know - all too well - that these special days with granny will end eventually.  The Christmas magic will slowly disappear..... 


BUT


For the here and now......... Christmas magic is still high on the priority list.
Today we will write some letters to Santa with our magic Christmas pencils ....... we will make doorknob  hangers for their bedrooms......... and the best Christmas magic - we will mix a magic formula into some water - add to a small plastic dish - add a cardboard form and in 30 minutes or so a Christmas tree will start to magically appear.  (do you remember those magic Christmas trees?? they used to top stockings in a lot of homes) ......... Anyway - my opening picture today is of one of those "magic" Christmas trees............. I can only hope that the Christmas fairies will smile on us.......and our trees will look half as good.

We'll lunch on cheese and bacon sandwiches - two of the grandkids favourite food groups... we'll have chips and chocolate milk - and tons of cookies and even a Yule log.  We'll decorate the tree and maybe even light a fire in the fire place (except it is supposed to be a balmy 7 degrees today) We'll laugh together - probably have a fight or two.. and probably some tears......... BUT that is as much Christmas magic as cardboard trees that sprout greenery from magic formulas....... 


Christmas is about magic - and family - and love and just sharing together.