I anticipate.

I love Christmas. Everything about it.

Our lights and ornaments sit out in the living room, waiting patiently for this year's tree, a reminder that I am not waiting quite so patiently.

 

Our mantle... Brad really did choose his blue stocking. And it was great until yesterday when he saw a KU stocking at Target.

This Willow Tree nativity was a wedding gift from my aunts and uncles on the Klaassen side.

 

 

In case you're wondering, the wise men are slightly separate because they don't actually show up until Epiphany. One year, in my mod, we had the wise men move around the room, closer and closer to baby Jesus, all advent long.

 

This carved nativity was a wedding gift from my growing-up pastor. 

 

This is probably one of the most special gifts I have ever received. One year, for Christmas, five mysterious gifts showed up under the tree, one for each kid and one for mom, the labels scrawled in dad's unmistakable handwriting. Each box held a nativity, because, as dad said, "Everyone should have a nativity." Each was from Ten Thousand Villages. Mine is carved stone from Vietnam. It has three wise men and a shepherd, also.

It started a tradition, and each year since then we have received "mystery gifts" from dad.

 

The Crippled Lamb and Humphrey... were mystery gifts one year. Danny Dozer was last year, along with John Deere Jenga. The Christmas Storybook was a staple of my childhood.

Christmas this year will be different. Thursday we will wake up at my parents' house and open presents. This week will be a frenzy of activity with my family. But that means that Christmas won't be. It's different. Not better. Not worse. Just different...

I feel like this is where I should have something profound to say about that. Sorry. I don't. Give me a break, please. I'm still recovering from the broken drawer fiasco. (It's still an available project for the bored handyperson. Anyone? Really. Anyone?!)