Christmas in July

Yeah, okay, August. Before I blog about our recent stay-cation with my Dad, brother, nephew, and niece, let me finally post a few thoughts and pics from Christmas.  You know, now that we're closer to Christmas 2011 than we are to Chrismtas 2010. 

This past Christmas was our first in our old-new-to-us house and I'd say Eli's first that he somewhat anticipated and somewhat experienced a little bit like I remember holidays from my own youth. 

Mommy & Daddy and Santa Claus were on the same track with outdoor-themed gifts, giving Elias more things to do outside while we attempt to tackle yard work each week (this many months later, sadly I can't say we've accomplished a whole lot other than weekly maintenance and a small patch we re-planted in the front).

Elias took an impromptu picture with Santa right after Thanksgiving when we made a rainy-day visit to an indoor play space at a local mall, and then again (above) in a much more intimate setting at Play Cafe, closer to the actual holiday, both of which went more smoothly than in 2009. 

We saw festive light displays (one of mama's favorite parts about the season) in Alameda and at the Oakland Mormon Temple (on Christmas eve, as is becoming tradition).

New last year (and probably not happening again for a few years) was a long trek to Berkeley's Tilden Park where we stood in an even longer line to ride the carousel. 

Elias also had his first taste of hot apple cider while waiting in line. Maybe we'll try again but perhaps not on the last night? 

Elias sharing some of Santa's cookies with a Grinch "snuggle-buddy" that he received with his obligatory Christmas eve pajamas.

As for the day itself, while we celebrated Thanksgiving with Neal's brother and his family, we stayed put for Christmas, just like I like it.  What I didn't like, and it's hard to say this without seeming ungrateful, was the overwhelming amount of gifts.  I think it took us three or four days to open all the gifts since 1) Elias time and again chose food over gift-opening on Christmas day, drawing out the gift-opening process (based on birthday behavior I'm not sure this will be a problem in 2011)

Christmas morning cinnamon rolls before gifts.

...and 2) he actually wanted to spend some time and play with each toy before moving on to the next gift.  Crazy, huh? 

This picture says it all - Elias hanging on to one toy with a flurry of activity around him.

We complain about how kids have such short attention spans and then we overwhelm them with gifts and expect them to open one after another. 

So....What we'll do differently this year, as I wanted to do this past year, is celebrate Christmas eve and a bit of Christmas morning by ourselves, just the three of us.  Grandma can come over after, as well as any other family that might like to visit the Bay Area that time of year.  But from about 5 pm on Christmas eve until about 10 or 11 Christmas morning, we'll be hunkering down doing our own thing, just the three of us. And there will be a limit on how many gifts to give.  At least, that's my plan.  I have four months to make it happen that way.