Spirit of the Season

Allison, on December 22: Mommy, no one should be alone on Christmas.
Me: Oh, Allison, you're just right. But why are you saying that?
Allison: I heard it on The Grinch.

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Sarah, opening the Christmas card from Auntie Sister: Oh, look, what a cute family! And look -- they have a newborn baby!
Charlie: Uh, Sarah, I think that's supposed to be the Baby Jesus.
Sarah, laughing: I know!

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Me, baking, and singing along to the iPod.
David: Love don't stink, Mommy!

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Charlie walked into the kitchen while I was wrapping a shirt box. All he could see was the box.
C: Who are the clothes for?
Me: Daddy.
C: Oh. Good!
Me: How'd you know they were clothes?
C: Well when you don't like getting something, you learn to recognize it pretty quickly so you can avoid it.

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One of our Christmas traditions is for me to take the children shopping for one another. We go to the dollar store so they can pick whatever they want, and I don't interfere. They all enjoy choosing their gifts, wrapping their gifts, and giving them to each other.

This year, Charlie took the holiday giving one step further. They get points at school for reading books (called ACCR points). Then they have an ACCR store periodically at school, where you can go shopping with your points. Charlie earned the most points in his whole class (by far) during the first semester. The school held an ACCR store right before Christmas break, and Charlie spent all of his points to buy a Webkins cat for Sarah, because it was on her Christmas list and he knew she would love it. Bryant and I were amazed with his generosity.

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On the way home from Mass on Sunday (12/23), Sarah said, "I love Christmas! Do you want to know my favorite part?"
Me: What is it?
S: Guess.
Me: Well, since we just got out of church, I was sort of hoping you would say the Jesus part.
S: Um. Well. Um.
Me: Yeah, that's what I thought.
S: Well, I'm not really sure if this is the Jesus part or not. Want me to just tell you and then you can tell me if it is?
Me: OK.
S: The giving part. Where you give presents to everyone you love. Is that kind of the Jesus part?
Me: Yes, Sarah. That's lovely.