The Christmas Spider Visits

Last night was a great kick off for the Holiday season. We started a few new traditions for our little family. We started the night off by building a ginger bread house. Eleanor and I picked a kit up at Costco a few weeks ago and she's been so anxious to put it together. John was a good sport and put in a few good hours frosting all the pieces together and helping Eleanor decorate it. By the time he finished he was sick to his stomach from all the frosting (and that frosting is disgusting!).

A few years ago my mom and Elyse made all of us a beaded Christmas spider. I thought it would be fun to teach Eleanor the story of the Christmas Spider and include it with the ritual of setting up the Christmas tree. So, after the building of the ginger bread house, the girls got a bath and I got things ready for the spider. All week I'd been telling Eleanor all about the Christmas Spider and how she would leave the girls gifts under the tree when she got to our house. Eleanor has had quite an obsession with spiders this year, so she was beyond excited to "hold" the Christmas Spider.

After the bath Eleanor had to find the spider on the tree and then got to open the presents she left for the girls. The spider left them matching Christmas pajamas. This was the first time Eleanor and Amelia have had matching clothes and Eleanor loved it!

Once everyone was changed into their pajamas we turned off all the lights except for the Christmas tree and Dad read us the story of the Christmas Spider. Eleanor was so cute and listened to the entire story. She then wanted to tell us her story. It was pretty much the same as John's, but in her version the little girl didn't have to put the Christmas Spider back on the tree.

We also finished decorating the tree. This is our first year of not having a real tree. Although I miss the smell, I'd have to say a fake tree is much easier! While decorating the tree, Eleanor found the wooden horse ornament from my mom and John and I told her about Mimi's liver transplant. She asked us to tell her the story about 3 times and then called Mimi and Grandpa to tell them.

It really was such a fun night. I told John the Holidays are so much more fun with kids! I love the excitement Eleanor has for Christmas this year. The poor girl wakes up every morning and asks if it's Christmas yet. I remember being a kid and thinking Christmas took FOREVER to come each year!