Christmas countdown, day 19

This surprise just may be the hit of the year. To understand, though, let's get a little backstory.

Everyone knows the antlers and reindeer noses you can spot on cars here and there around town during the holidays. Trace has taken a serious liking to these automobile decorations. As in, a liking that nearly causes me a stroke every time he spies a reindeer themed car ... pointing, shouting, sheer delight.

Having realized his fascination with stuffed antlers on passenger windows and a big red nose on the grill wasn't waning during December, I told him if we came across a set, I'd just have to get it so HE could ride around in a reindeer car.

Well, he came across a set in package number 19. Everyone was thrilled with the contents, but Trace found it necessary to bust out in dance.

The Suburban reindeer is suited up and ready to take flight to preschool tomorrow morning, and Trace can't wait for the ride.

Christmas countdown, day 18

We were missing an unwrapper for package 18 ... wiped out from a stomach bug. And, the remainders were pretty wiped out themselves from traveling, celebrating and much unwrapping during the day's Christmas party.

They didn't wager to make any guesses, as the clue had them stumped. What they found inside was another addition to their holiday village scene. This time a school, to add its light to their little growing town.

Christmas countdown, day 17

"Head, shoulders, knees and ???"

They were all over that clue.

And to their credit, they were accurate in guessing socks when they tore the paper away. Wrapped inside, they found socks of all kinds, including toe socks which are a new phenomenon in our house.

There will now be very warm toes around these parts sporting everything from holiday stripes to polar bears.

Christmas countdown, day 16

Imagine me saying bad things about blogger here. There were no photos for day 16, but instead video clips of everyone USING their gift.

The clips are funny, amusing and somewhat hard on the ears, but the world will never experience them as I can't get them to upload properly. Instead you are left to imagine Alena portraying Taylor Swift in singing "Last Christmas"; Alivia singing "Happy Birthday to You"; Alysse singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"; and Trace singing "Red Solo Cup" all in an elf-like voice.

Package number 16 contained four Merry-Okee microphones. The just is that you sing in the microphone and it's able to output your voice in elf version. They were a huge hit, and the fun was captured much more accurately in video format than photos. That is, if you can get your videos to load.

At any rate, the singing continues, and chances are the world is better for not having seen and heard our video footage.

Christmas countdown, day 15

The guesses on this one were sketchy and random, except for Trace. The hint read "Every village needs one."

He was convinced it would be a monster truck. I suppose every village does, in fact, need a monster truck, especially in the world of a little boy.

While the village addition was an animal care building instead of anything with four-wheel drive, it was welcomed to the neighbor just the same.