I have very fond memories of Christmas shopping as a kid. It was a family event. All five of us would go to Circle Mall and sit on the bench by the ramp between the levels to make a plan. We would split up into groups of two and three, one group assigned to each level for a certain amount of time. We each had eight dollars. Two dollars per person, so we could all buy a gift for everyone. After we had completed our level for that particular 20-30 minutes, we’d take the gifts we’d bought to the car and stow them away in our individual backpacks in the trunk. We’d eventually break and all share two jumbo New York Fries with cheese and gravy, and waters all around. This was always SUCH a fun day for the family! Of course, as we got older, the dollar values went up (though looking back, I love that we had to be creative) and we all got tired a bit faster 🙂 But I hold those days very near and dear to my heart.
It was Christmas shopping day in 2010 when we discovered we were pregnant with our dear Dekker. Christmas shopping day is very special.
Therefore, Christmas shopping in an event in our home now. Its not specifically laid out the same way, but it is a full day planned in the city, organized, with lists and budgets. While that maybe sounds really stiff to some people, it is fun for us. So that was our day. We hit sooo many places! I wish I could give specifics but I likely bought for some of you, and I’m not giving anything away! We went to two malls, several box stores, Walmart, and we even braved Costco. We even picked up a few Christmas decorations so maybe I’ll post some pictures if I can figure out what to do with them.
Either way, we are sooo close to being done! We still have to plan a bit more for each other, and we need to order a few things. (Sooo glad I just wrote that or I would have forgotten to put in orders tonight!) Done and done. Literally.
We stopped partway through our day at McDonalds for a quick lunch. I waited at a table while Brady got the food. Thirty-some pictures later…
And Laela’s super popular pose…
The kids were total troopers, and barely fussed all day, which is a massive help! Dekker napped a bit on the drive home, but hardly at all. Yet he was positive and funny all evening. All evening, as in we finished our shop at were home eating supper around 6:00pm! Today was fast and successful and pleasantly exhausting.
The best way to spend the end of the day – in onesies.
This is a fairly exclusive club. I know you’re all jealous.
I hope everyones day was as joyful as mine.
Are you wearing a onesie too? If so where did you get it??
Sure am! This one was a gift from Bluenotes, but I hear they’re at Sirens as well, and I saw one in the window of a store called Boathouse in Midtown 🙂 Sooo cozy!
awwwwwwwww what an adorable blog tonight. It just thrills my soul to see such happiness in your family. You’ve been making memories and stories that you’ll tell the kids all thru their lives. So adorable and priceless. Thanks for sharing your day with us Darlin’. I love you so much♥
I love you too! Thank YOU for instilling in us the importance of these days and spending them together well. Clearly I learned from the best memory maker 🙂