Christmas Traditions

This Christmas was special. I feel like Nixon is at the age where he is really grasping and remembering an enormous amount of things we do, so I really wanted to ramp up some fun knew traditions for us to do around Christmas time that he could enjoy and remember and look forward to doing years down the road. Growing up Tyler's family always had a Christmas train around their Christmas tree. This is a tradition Tyler always wanted to carry on with ours. With Nixon being SO into trains we figured this was a good year to start. We bought the Polar Express Train to go along with the movie. We had a picnic dinner on the living room floor and watched the movie for the first time. I think the night could have ended right there for Nixon. He asked to watch that movie every day after he loved it so much. After the movie we let him open up a big present, which happened to be the exact train in the movie we watched. Pretty much the coolest thing ever for a two year old....and his dad who has been waiting for this moment for a long time!

It of course came with the bell which we were able to add to our tree. 

 Every morning Nixon would run in the living room, turn the train on and ask to watch the "train train track"...now known as "The polar express". If you walked through our front door, he made sure to turn the train on for you. Putting the train away was a very sad day...especially since the movie had to go with it. Several mornings Nixon would wake up and ask for both and then remember "oh we had to put it away till next Christmas". So now he waits patiently till next Christmas.

Making a gingerbread house is not even an option. The good 'ol graham cracker and Pillsbury frosting kind! Did you know I had cub scouts at my house a few weeks before Christmas to make Gingerbread houses and there was actually a 9 year old that had NEVER made a gingerbread house?! He didn't even know what to do! That's just redic! 

 Oh, and have you met my son with a candy obsession. Proof here. I'm pretty sure for every candy he put on his house, two went in his mouth.

 Santa! SAANTAA!! Nixon learned good and well who Santa was and that this guy brings presents! He was so pleased to sit and chat with the big guy and tell him he wanted PRESENTS! Nothing specific, just presents! Easy kid to please!

This was also the year we began the Elf on the Shelf

 He is so photogenic

 After reading the book, it took Nixon a while to come up with a name. I really wanted him to come up with one on his own. He came up with a name and that next morning I was kind of hoping he would have forgotten what he named his elf. Sure enough first thing he asked me that next morning is "Where'd Pee Wee go?" Yes, meet Pee Wee.

 Nixon sure did enjoy having Pee Wee around the house, and I sure enjoyed threatening Nixon I would tell Pee Wee, who would then tell Santa, if he was being naughty. Every morning he would say, "Come on mom, let's go find Pee Wee". We would leave for the day and Nixon would inform Pee Wee where we were going. It was a sad day when Pee Wee had to go.