The Christmas Drink You Must Make Now!

I had a wonderful Christmas today. We traveled earlier in the week and came home the 23rd. Our Christmas Eve service was at 3 PM, leaving plenty of time to come home and make some homemade chicken noodle soup and light our last candle on our advent wreath.

This morning we watched delighted children open presents and Face Timed with family. I made a slow cooked brisket and my sons and I played with Lego in the afternoon making new creations from our now very large Lego collection 

After putting the 3 munchkins to bed, my husband and I treated ourselves to our favorite hot drink right now: Kahlua Hot Chocolate.

How to Start Practicing Advent

I met a friend for coffee this evening and had the rare experience of riding in the car by myself and not desiring silence. So I turned on the radio. I had not realize how frazzled I was supposed to be about Christmas. I didn't realize I had to get a gift for everyone I know or ELSE!!!! I stopped and thought about it. I had not realized how not frazzled I was feeling until listening to the commercials.

We don't have cable, the shows my kids watch are on Netflix or Prime, so we just don't see many commercials. I mostly listen to music on my iPod so I don't hear many commercials there. I quit subscribing to magazines that make me dissatisfied with what I own. And I forgot; I forgot it's supposed to be crazy and stressful and cost lots of money.

Just don't. Don't allow someone else to determine your checklist. I may not get my Christmas cards out till after Christmas. Oh well. If someone get offended, I just won't send them one next year. I schedule a lot of our social gatherings during the 2 weeks of Christmas. The kids are out of school and more people are off of work. I don't decorate the whole house. Just a few fun key items you love. Our tree is 4 feet tall and is on a sofa table behind the couch. The baby can't knock it over and I don't yell at the kids to leave it alone. My children still think it's a wondrous thing.

I didn't grow up with advent, so attending a liturgical church has been a learning experience. But this right now is not Christmas. Christmas starts December 25th and goes on for 2 weeks. This, right now, this is Advent.