Pre-kids, Joe and I went somewhat easy on the holidays. We would put up a menorah, lighting it only a few days, and put up a tree (fake). We didn’t even really make a big deal of gifting anything to each other.

Now, with the kids, and Cam understanding more and more what the holidays are about, we are starting to do it all.

Hanukkah happened largely thanks to Grandma Monkey and Jeanne who made multiple dinners, provided gifts on gifts to the kids and lit the menorah, sometimes bringing it to our house to make sure it happened each night.

Cam loved lighting the candles and every night struggled against his desire to blow them out immediately. Cam also loved opening gifts so much he coaxed Grandma Monkey into letting him open all of his gifts by night 4. Demi, predictably, was a bit more interested in boxes and bows than in gifts, but she scored some cute outfits and fun new toys.

We put up a tree and stockings and some other standard Christmas decór.

We brought out the Elf on the Shelf, this year abiding by the actual rules. We named him Elfie Magelfie and he traveled with us on a family trip to Bend, Oregon and to great grandma’s house in Bishop so he could keep a close eye on things. We also decorated cookies (followed by a day of throwing up the gallons of sugar Cam consumed), and put out cookies, milk and carrots for Santa and his reindeer.

Some highlights:

• Demi getting her two front teeth (round 1) for Christmas–how apropos that they popped through just in time
• Cam meeting his second cousins Cohen and Brynn and having so much fun playing with them. Despite the overabundance of toys, Cam sourced rope from Great Uncle Chuck and kitchen supplies (he kept specifying “cylinder shaped”) from Great Aunt Bonnie to build and re-build and re-build monster traps.
• Great food, long naps and walks in cold mountain air.
• Generally just seeing Cam engaging with the various traditions, asking questions, anticipating events
• Having DGO join our holidays for the first time. Baby’s first Hanukkah and Christmas is so very special.