Days of Christmas, part 19

Today's advent gift? A creche.

How many of you need to click on over to www.webster.com to look that one up? Admittedly, I did. Of course, seeing the gift opened, I knew what it was; however, was unfamiliar with the term appropriately naming the gift.

According to www.webster.com, a creche is "a representation of the Nativity scene." Essentially it's the backdrop or stable of the Nativity scene which epitomizes this holy season.

Included with the creche was a book of the Christmas story. Alena and Alivia loved the book, and Alena gave a tour of the creche, pointing out where Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus shall go.

I suspect once the scene has been completed, this will be the highlight of the advent gifting for Alivia. She is surprisingly taken with Nativity scenes this holiday season, and admires them with appreciation much beyond her years.

Days of Christmas, part 18

When you open a package that has four boxes of chocolate dipped peppermint sticks inside, a frenzy could ensue.

Trace was determined to get inside, one way or another. He began by tearing the paper box and later chewing at the cellophane wrapper. Ahh, the power of sugar.

Days of Christmas, part 17

We know these treats as show lights in our house. Our first taste of the fun came at a Disney on Ice performance where the $3 lights are sold for $62 (yes, this is an exaggeration).

Holiday show lights are even more exciting, though, since they have lights AND flying snow when the magic button is pressed. A small winter wonderland at your fingertip ... enchanting.

Trace, apparently, needed a really close look.

Days of Christmas, part 16

She's only watched Sesame Street once in her 22 months; however, Alysse loves Elmo. Really, I'm not even sure how she knows Elmo.

Maybe books or the fact that the pediatrician always "looks" for Elmo in her ears when they are being checked. Besides those two guesses, I'm kind of amazed at the origination of her Elmo fascination.

So, when today's gifts were opened and inside were four Christmas ornaments, there was only one she was interested in. The Santa ornament that was given to her by the others just wasn't cutting it after she saw Alivia holding Elmo. She didn't even bother looking the direction of Alena who had Rudolph or Trace who had a snowman. Elmo was it.

It was as though Santa had cooties. Alivia didn't want him either when a trade for Elmo was suggested. Finally, Alena, in a charitable mood, agreed to take the Santa, leaving Alysse with Rudolph for which Alivia did agree to swap for the prized Elmo.

Whew. Who knew Elmo was so popular, especially with one-time viewers?

She was just as big as she could be when it came time to place Elmo on the tree. Look, but don't touch, though, he's all hers.

Days of Christmas, part 15

The name of today's advent gifts escapes me. Perhaps they don't really have a "name." Thus we'll call them whatchamacallits.

Regardless of the word you slap on the novelties, the kids were taken with the two-in-one magic of them. Pushing the small plunger inward, created music, turned lights on and made the snowman (or Santa) drop away in quarters revealing another, smaller friend inside.

Alivia was especially fascinated with the mechanics of what was going on as the affect to her plunger-pushing cause. A fun two-for-one trinket all wrapped up in a thingamajig.