The Young Family: Our Christmas Morning

This Christmas was so much fun with Carson. It was the first year that he was really excited and remembered all the things we do around this time of year.

Until this year, I would have told you, "We don't really do Santa".

Our Christmas Eve

Carson thought Santa would like Oreos...good choice :)

Our Christmas Morning

He was so excited that Santa left him a cookie.

Well, it looks like Santa came! Initially, we weren't going to do Santa because we didn't want our kids' focus to be on just getting presents. But the day before our Christmas, Carson was very inquisitive about Santa. I am sure a lot of it had to do with all the kids at school constantly talking about him. He asked Matt if Santa was real and we asked him if he wanted him to be real and he said yes. We just couldn't tell him, "Oh, well Santa isn't real." He had seen movies with Santa in it and read books about him, but other than that we didn't talk about Santa a ton and we didn't want to use it as a disciple technique (you know...behave because Santa is watching and he won't bring presents if you are bad) but Carson was so excited about Santa coming. We didn't go into detail about how Santa would deliver the presents or that he has to come on a certain day since we are never here on Christmas day anyway. We just kept it simple and fun. We put out cookies and milk and put some unwrapped presents under the tree that where from Santa. I will say, it was fun and exciting. I am glad we went back on our original decision. Childhood is so short and I think the magic of Santa is a sweet, special thing and it was so much fun watching him.

We told Carson that he didn't have to stay in his room until 7 and that whenever he got up we would have our Christmas. Well....he got up early. Real early. Like 12:30 in the morning. I told him that it was still nighttime and he had to go back to bed. He was not to happy about that, but thankfully he was still half asleep and doesn't remember that part. So, he woke up again at 6:20...much better! He came running in our room and came to my side of the bed and said, "Sorry mom. I saw some presents under the tree." I said, "What? There are presents under the tree? Did Santa come and drink his milk and eat the cookies?" He said, "I don't know." I told him he had better go and check. So, he ran into the living room and came back and said, " He ate all of the cookies, but left one for me!" He was so excited! Matt and I got up with him and told him the unwrapped presents under the tree were from Santa. Then we let him open his stocking. Then we told him as soon as sister woke up we would open the presents from mommy and daddy.

I had put silly string in each of our stockings, but unfortunately they didn't really work and Carson couldn't push the button down. But daddy was able to get one of them to shoot out a little bit and Carson thought it was so funny.

Sarah Grace woke up around 7:30 and was greeted by big brother. He was so excited she finally woke up!