Christmas magic

Excited to kick off my role as a Sears Mom Ambassador just in time for the holidays!

We must have been up past two in the morning that Christmas.

We came home from celebrating with my in-laws late on Christmas Eve and put the kids straight to bed. I ran around picking up the stray toys and wrappers and assorted clutter. I brought out the secret stash of Santa gifts and sorted out what was for who. I set out some milk and cookies and took a bite of one. Okay, maybe I had more than that.

Santa never wraps his presents in our house. Instead, they are open and set up, ready to play with. So I went about setting up a display of baby dolls and play food for Irene and putting out a brand-new play mat for three-month-old Mary. I stuffed the kids’ stocking with small gifts, chocolates and tangerines and hung them from nobs on the dining room buffet. No fireplace over here. I rummaged around in the fridge and cold room (ie. the poorly insulated addition behind the kitchen) and dug up an assortment of root vegetables for Ed’s stocking. Ed’s dad always got things like turnips in his stockings and I think it’s a charming tradition.

The whole time I was setting up ALL OF CHRISTMAS, pretty much, Ed was working on assembling a huge and intricate labyrinth of Hexbug habitats for Colum. It was a multi-tiered tangle of pathways and hexagons, ramps and bridges. It took up a tonne of floor space and was the first thing I saw when I stood in the doorway.

Colum was going to love it.

We finally went to sleep and were woken up after what felt like mere moments later.

“It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas! Did Santa come? Wake up!”

Colum led the way downstairs and stopped just inside the dining room. “LOOK! LOOK!” he cried. “SANTA BROUGHT MARY A NEW PLAYMAT!”

He was over-the-moon excited about the playmat for Mary, insisting we bring her over and lay her down on it right away. He showed her how all the little toys dangled above her and how she could reach for them. He laughed and laughed.

“That’s wonderful, Colum,” we said. “But what else did Santa bring?”

“WOW, IRENE! IT’S JUST WHAT YOU ASKED FOR!”

And he was off, admiring Irene’s toys and making sure she appreciated just how special each one was.

“Isn’t that great, Colum?” we said. “But what else did Santa bring?”

Only then did he look over to see what Santa had brought for him. “WOW! LOOK AT ALL THOSE HEXBUGS!”

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I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to match the magic of that first Christmas morning as a family of five, but I do know we’ll try.

On the kids’ wish lists this year are Lego sets, assorted Minecraft toys and games for Colum, “a doll I can design myself” and lots of artsy activities for Irene, and “presents” and puzzles for Mary.

I love  that Sears has all the toys the kids want plus I’ll also be able to stock up on clothes and PJs for them AND buy gifts for a everybody else on my list at once. Check out their awesome selection of top toys HERE.

I’m not so sure if I’ll love having this guy around, though the kids are VERY keen on him.

 Contest alert!

Sears Canada is giving away one of their top holiday toys on their Facebook page every Friday until December 13th. All you have to do is comment, so get ye over there to win some loot!

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears Mom Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.