What Is Christmas? Sit down, I'll tell you...

Depending on your culture, family heritage, childhood environment, beliefs and religious convictions, the holidays mean different things to different people. Being interfaith, my family is no different.

But for me personally, Christmas (or, in my case Yule) is about the festivities, the joys (whatever those are for myself), the hope the season brings for the new year ahead, the miracle that is the cycle of the seasons, mother Earth, the God and Goddess, the sun's rebirth, the beauty and wonder of the season. But if you were to ask me what I want for Yule every year, my answer never changes: I want memories.

The holidays for me are mental photographs and videos of great memories with my family. For some reason, I live off of them all year long. I remember them and anticipate with joy and contentment the exciting holidays to come each year, the anticipation at the memories I know will form, the contentment of my heart and the peace in my soul every holiday, doing everything I love: Giving, cooking, hosting and laughing. And, yes, I am one of those rare gems that likes to discuss politics (even if you don't agree with me) over dinner. Life is filled with wonder and beauty and joy and good and the holidays are the perfect time I take to slow down mentally and physically to just absorb it all, to remember it second for second.

I hear some people complain about the holidays. And all I can think is, they are just doing it wrong. The reason for this must be guilt, for one, and fear, for two, then obligation for three. But it is also stressful because of those things, you feel you have to go broke to please family 9you don't) you think you have to make every celebration event (you don't) and you think you have to fear what others will think of you if you do what is right and take the holiday to appreciate it and embrace it for what is best for you. You don't HAVE to do any of those things, and that is the beauty of holidays.

The market has capitalized on holidays like Christmas and birthdays. What would change this is people spending less money on stuff and spending more time (something money cannot buy) with their loved ones, without shame or fear or guilt. And the family, they have to accept this lifestyle and in turn appreciate the time they get with their loved ones minus the materials and gifts and "stuff".

I am in no way saying gifts are wrong or bad. As you likely already know, I shower my kids and my husband with gifts and my husband showers me with gifts as well. But we don't only do this during the holidays, we do it just because,m we do it on anniversaries, or when a loved one is ill, we do loving things because we want to, not because we have to.
That said, I do believe gifts are actually a big part of the holiday.... For YOUR family. For my family, it is outside immediate family members such as in-laws. We keep it all between the four of us, because that's what we want.

It's also very hard for me to mingle with my in laws and celebrate the holidays since I celebrate them in an entirely different aspect than they do. They celebrate Jesus, his sacrifice, gift giving, materials and the commercialized aspect of it.

I celebrate it with spells, incantations, devotions, dancing, fire, nature, the sun, the moon, the animals, and the gifts are just a bonus because I truly enjoy giving to my kids and my husband, especially during the holidays. This is my time of year where I can spend as much as I want on gifts and get them each something they've always wanted. Would Yule be over if we stopped doing gifts? Not at all! There is the volunteering, the giving, the charities. There is the holiday meal, the spiritual observance of it. There is the time with my family, but most of all there are the MEMORIES.

I love spoiling my kids. I also love teaching them about giving back and kindness and loving others and compassion. I love teaching them about family values and the joys of the season, what makes the holiday really great: Memories.

Let the Christmas Shopping Begin!

Call me a lunatic, but I really enjoy Christmas shopping. I look forward to it every year! This year was a little more exciting because now we have two kids, and our first is older and easier to shop for now, and we know what things he is really into this year. (One of those things you automatically do, even though I was restricted by my parents from celebrating Christmas, it comes so naturally for me now, is taking mental notes to self throughout the year.) ;)

Well, we had a very wonderful Thanksgiving with family this year (just like every year). I was super excited for it, we prioritized and had all of our Thanksgiving shopping done by the 17th, leaving only a few small items like french fried onions and green onions. Other than that everything was done and we were able to relax and enjoy the rest of the two weeks leading up to the big day.

My mother in-law, (Mama Gail), and father in-law (Papa Larry), arrived Wednesday night, and stayed until Sunday. We were so happy to have them here with us longer than one day. Unfortunately, my brother in-law (Nathan) and sister in-law (Melissa) couldn't stay but they did make it for dinner :).

Well, with the grandparents here early, we decided to get the kids' Christmas shopping done while we had the chance. Our work schedules have been so hectic lately (it always is this time of year), and we wanted to go shop for their gifts sometime before or after Thanksgiving.

We did a little shopping online, because we don't have a Toys R' Us nearby us anymore, we ended up having to do that online, but that was great, because it saved us time and everything. I actually decided I prefer Christmas shopping online, and next year we may just do that, except we like getting out of the house together while the kids stay home and going to explore the toy land at Farm and Fleet ;). Both of us are still kids at heart. Me more so since I didn't get to do this as a kid :).

So that was our weekend. And we got all of the kids' Christmas shopping done, and just need to wrap everything soon. Since I am still pretty new to this Christmas thing and gifts and the kids presents, I am following Tim's lead on most everything haha. If I don't know what to do or how to do it, he does!

We also found really great bargains at JCPenny!

Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014 was amazing! We opened presents early in the morning, and had a yummy Christmas morning breakfast afterward! 

As you can see, Lukas really wasn't sure what to think when he first saw all the gifts around the tree. He is just getting to that age where he kind of understands about Santa and how the holidays work, but he still has a ways to go. It's still exciting seeing his face light up, though. :)

The most wonderful mess ever is on Christmas morning! ;)

The rest of the day we watched Christmas movies, and had hot chocolate! Well, I had coffee, of course, my caffeine addiction doesn't leave much room to drink anything else! Haha

We ended up taking the tree down that same evening because someone wouldn't stop trying to pull the ornaments and decorations off! Hahaha

Merry Christmas, everyone, and happy New Year!!! :)

- The Klichs

Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas is my favorite holiday! Mostly because I love the snow and cold of the winter season. But also because of the excitement and cheer! I love the spirit of the season. :)

We had a wonderful Christmas this year (as always) and it was so much fun because Lukas is getting to that age where he kind of knows what is going on now.

Here are some candids we got of our holiday memories!

Of course, we baked a bunch of yummy cookies on Christmas Eve. I feel like the oven is never off these days, between the salt dough ornaments among mnay other things it hasn't had much of a break haha.

Little man absolutely loved them!

I finally got to do the Christmas Box tradition this year for the first time. In this box is a Christmas book and Christmas movies, new pajamas for the kids, popcorn, hot cocoa mix, candy and snacks, Magical Reindeer Dust and Santa's Magic key (two other traditions we were happy to incorporate into our routine tradition!) 

Tim had to work Christmas Eve but was home in the evening, and we sat down to some holiday movies.....

.... Then, we all snuggled up cozy on the sofa together and read our traditional favorite story The Night Before Christmas. :)

After our story, Lukas took the Magical Reindeer Dust and sprinkled it outside.

And we did the usual tradition of leaving milk and cookies and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer. :)

And hung the magical key on the door for Santa. ;)

Now it's time to go to sleep so Santa can come!

Merry Christmas, everyone! :)

Magical Key for Santa

I love this tradition! I actually like it a little more than the chimney tale, to be honest, it seems so much more magical and believable. But because I am a woman of old fashion, I do the chimney one now ;) haha. But this idea is great for anyone whether you have a chimney or not.

There is no chimney you see,

So here is a special magic key.

Use this key on Christmas Eve,

And put it back before you leave.

You can definitely personalize the tag's message any way you want! We did this every Christmas Eve when the kids opened their Christmas box it would be inside for them to set out for Santa, when we lived in our condo and didn't have a chimney. :)