Run-up

So the decorations are up and we’ve started festive crafting and cooking. There is Christmas music playing. Candles burning.

With all three children now at secondary, we no longer have a festive run up to the holiday, courtesy of school. Secondary is more opt in, when it comes to these kinds of activities. No plays or concerts. No crafts or dressing up. Feet are dragging and days are being counted down.

I made the mistake this year of thinking, that they wouldn’t want a chocolate advent calendar. So I didn’t buy or make one for them. One small step towards a simplified festive holiday, I thought. How wrong was I ? We have an advent truck with drawers. That seemed enough for a countdown. Each year, I put a nativity character, made of Fimo, in each drawer with a chocolate treat. I upped my game by taking the quality of the chocolate to a new level and adding a tiny scroll with an activity suggested. We’ve had wreath making, clockwork penguin racing and a festive, foreign language challenge, among other activities.

Looking back, I see where I went wrong. I deleted a tradition. Somehow, I had only discussed the change of plan with two out of the three children. It was a rookie mistake. I should know better. Not an error I’ll make again. Mr TTC came to the rescue and picked up three calendars. Next year. Next year.

Apart from my desire to simplify a festival in our family, to bring back some meaning to it, the other reason for looking to shake things up a bit, is that the children are getting older. As days tick over to weeks, and then on to months, I can see them growing into the people they will be. At the moment, it feels like they take on more each spin around the sun.

Last weekend, eldest teen decided to make pecan pie. I have no idea where this came from as it’s not something I make often. Ingredients bought in, she made it. It’s not often she cooks, but when she does, she really goes for it. The pie was yummy. She’s also reached the stage where she clears up after herself as well. Somehow that makes pecan pie taste even better.

Final part of my weekly roundup is a new tradition. Mr TTC entered a 5k charity run dressed as a Santa. If you saw my Instastories last weekend, you’d have seen a photo of him, dressed up as Santa, holding a bag of sprouts and a parsnip. One of those photos, in years to come, that would puzzle. Why was Grandpa Joe (not his name) holding veg, dressed as Santa? Is that what they used to put in Christmas stockings?

No. Just to put your mind at rest, although as someone who grew up with the threat of La Befana adding coal to stockings, who could blame me! The answer is that he over took the two runners dressed as a sprout and a parsnip. Therefore earning an extra reward.

He enjoyed the run. We got soaked supporting him. Everyone agreed that this would become part of our family run up to Christmas tradition. Although the rain doesn’t have to be part of it. I hope.

Linking up to Anne’s word of the week linky. Anyone else joining in? My word is run-up. I know it’s strictly two words, but I’m throwing in my hyphen wildcard this week.