Christmas day on the homestead

**homesteadmamma** · 12-26-2002, 07:44 PM

It was a day filled with laughter and so much fun. After having a horrible Christmas Eve, I wondered how Christmas would be.

Can I describe it for you on the homestead. We had classified it our pioneer Christmas, one where we had homemade gifts and the kids had even made our gifts.

I was up at 8 but the kids slept until 9:30 in the morning. I couldn't believe it but we let them sleep. Dd got up raring to go but first we had breakfast. The neighbour had given us cold cereal (something I just don't purchase) and once the kids were up, they each had a bowl full. They were excited but dd was the most excited one.

We slowly opened our gifts. Both ds#1 and dd were so happy with the gifts they got. For me, dd had made me a sewing machine (scroll sawed) that has two hangings from it. The third hanging on it is a little mouse she drew and cut out with the scroll saw and on it she wrote "I'm glad Santa can't get me up here". (I'm not sure what that is all about, but she did it all by herself and she knows exactly what she wants!!) On the two first hangings she had put, "merry Christmas Ma - 2002" because that is what pioneers called their mommy. She had also made me a bib, sewn by herself. Ds#1 had made me a wall hanging which has "home sweet home" on it. They both did a great job.

For dh, dd had made 2 hankies and knitted him a wool scarf and ds had scroll sawed him a horse and cowboy because dh reads westerns.

Dh and ds#2 made me a wonderful wall clock, "chalet style" and on it was written home sweet home.

Dh and the kids played The Farming Game after they opened their gifts. That along with a couple of books for each of them was all that we had purchased, everything else was home made.

We snacked on turkey and snacks for most of the day. At the end of it, we talked about what next year will be called and we haven't quite come up with a title yet. But the kids want ALL homemade gifts next year!!

So our Christmas day was a success. I wondered how the gifts would go over along with the amount of gifts they each received, but they were content with what they got!!

**heaven** · 12-26-2002, 07:47 PM

CJ it sounds like the best christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy everyone enjoyed it. glad to have you back.

**MJsLady** · 12-26-2002, 07:54 PM

I second Heaven!

**doodlebug** · 12-26-2002, 08:49 PM

Sounds like you all had a wonderful day!!!

**TheCottageRose** · 12-26-2002, 09:05 PM

That is truly Heartwarming....thanks so much for sharing.

**SewCrafty** · 12-27-2002, 01:26 PM

CJ, sounds like the perfect Christmas Day! I'm so happy you and your family enjoyed it.

**Darlene** · 12-27-2002, 02:36 PM

What a warm loving Christmas you had. Thanks for sharing.

**rhiana** · 12-27-2002, 05:23 PM

I couldn't find it in the post, what did you make for the kids? I'm really interested to know. It's easy to make gifts for adults but what do you make for kids and what ages are they?

**homesteadmamma** · 12-27-2002, 05:35 PM

Rhiana - here is what we made for the kids:

- a nightie for our dd
- pj's for the boys
- a wall hanging for dd (a silhoutte of 2 little girls swinging). Its all framed. I painted it black and the background is painted white. I'll take pictures and will get it posted later in January.
- for ds#1, we made a wall hanging with a race car and his favorite number on it (20). I painted the background red and it too is framed.
- I made pillows for the kids

I purchased 2 books for each of them and batteries for ds#2 for his piano. I also purchased The Farming Game for the family.

Our kids asked for a pioneer Christmas and next year were looking at not purchasing anything at all, but making everything.

I think for us its much easier because we've never bought a lot at Christmas, we live in the country and I throw all the advertisements and catalogues in the recycling bin as soon as I get them. We don't do many malls and so they don't ask.

**rhiana** · 12-27-2002, 06:19 PM

Thanks for you answer! Those sound like great presents. I think it wouldn't be too hard if you started the kids out young with homemade presents. They wouldn't expect anything else. For instance, our 3 year old got tons of presents, store bought, and I think she would have been happy with just one. By the 3rd house and like the 20th present she seemed tired and bored with opening presents and I know she's only going to play with one or two of them. My husband and I are thinking about having an other little one soon and I think I'm going to ask that everybody cut back on all the spoiling and giving in to media and T.V. pressures to have a material Christmas. When my brother and I were young we got piles and piles of Toys and now that we're adults our parents still buy us tons of presents on Christmas. It makes me guilty over how much they buy for us, I'd rather have my Mom go with me to serve food at the soup kitchen or read at the homeless shelter than have all of the piles of presents they insist on buying us.

**homesteadmamma** · 12-27-2002, 06:53 PM

Rhiana, you bring up a great point.

When my older kids were babies, we bought and bought and of course put everything on cc. We decided with our younger kids we wouldn't do that, but would teach them the real meaning of Christmas and we also wanted to teach them that consumerism isn't the most important thing in life. We've never regretted doing this and each year, our Christmas has gotten smaller.

In putting Christmas in comparison with the past, I would have to say this was the best Christmas day we've ever had. Our kids were delighted with their gifts and everyone who comes for a visit, they run and get their gifts.

btw - my kids are 14 and two 12 year olds.

I also know that our little ones had has much fun and in fact more fun this Christmas than did our older kids when they were younger. It was fun in planning and in their making of their gifts for us and it was fun making gifts for them.