At the beginning of the month I felt like Christmas would never get here (probably because I had Annabel asking me every morning “Is it Christmas today?”) but now here we are with only a few days left. I finished the last of my shopping yesterday…I think…but I have wrapped exactly one present. UGH I hate wrapping.
We’ve been squeezing in a few fun Christmas-y activities before the big day. The first thing was something I saw on Pinterest ages ago. I told Annabel that while I was out shopping, a mysterious woman came up to me and pressed magic seeds into my hand. She told me to plant them in a cup of sugar and they’d grow into candy canes. Annabel’s eyes bugged out of her head while I told her the story. She immediately had lots of questions and wanted to reenact the scenario, where I played the mysterious woman and she played me. Eventually I got her to focus, and we pushed the seeds (tic tacs) into a cup of sugar. Then she stood there, staring at the cup…waiting.
Mike and I realized that, unless we stopped her, she would literally stand there staring at the cup for hours and hours. We distracted her with dinner, and while Mike talked to her I oh-so-casually stuck some unwrapped candy canes into the cup of sugar. Surprisingly, it took her about ten minutes to realize the candy canes had appeared, but when she did realize, she went nuts with excitement.
THE CANDY CANES GREW YOU GUYS! THE MAGIC WORKED!!
Plus, you know…yum.
They’re so delicious, I grew them myself.
Mike’s cousin gave us a tip that the local Four Seasons hotel had “Winter Wonderland” nights. My mom, aunt, the kids, and I and met Mike there after work one evening. Annie hung out with Santa again:
And also met Frosty:
There was an amazing hot chocolate bar, plus all the fixings to roast marshmallows and make ‘smores:
The best part, though, was when it “snowed” every thirty minutes or so. Annie was giddy – she still hasn’t seen snow (soon, though, I hope!).
I have a few more things up my sleeve before Santa comes. I’ll get to that wrapping eventually.
Jill says:
Holy LOVE THIS POST.
amourningmom says:
It sounds super fun at the Spohr house! Maybe a mysterious lady will give you some magic wrapping seeds – in case that doesn’t happen good luck with the rest of the presents!
Jenn says:
What a GREAT picture of the 3 of you!!! If you want Annie to see snow come & visit us in Canada!!! We have plenty of the white stuff to spare & a lot of cold to share too.
Jerilynn says:
Sounds fun! Have a wonderful Christmas! If you want Annie to see snow, you should come to my neck of the woods ( I live in Mass). You can see snow from now until Easter. After Christmas, believe me, it loses the allure.
Melissa says:
Christmas magic indeed! You create some great memories.
Oh, and two words… GIFT BAGS!! Not only are they easy, you dont get paper cuts from tissue!
Glenda says:
I’m with you…I hate wrapping too
Sounds like fun! Love the pics
roshan says:
In that Santa pic Annie looks so like that little girl from “Little Miss Sunshine”. And she is totally going to pull the candy cane prank on Jamesie in the future once she knows how it’s done.
Ellen says:
Oh, the wrapping. Every year I say I will start it early, and then December 23/24 rolls around…I agree – ugh! It does give me a valid reason to watch bad movies, however…! Cute pictures…love the ‘seeds’!