Giving Day

My favorite celebration at Christmas time is always our immediate family party known as Giving Day.  It is always a big deal to help each child make each family member a gift, but it is "real Christmas" as far as Dallin and I are concerned. 

I knew we would not be home this year for our traditional Christmas Eve Dinner, so I wanted to have a special dinner as a part of the evening festivities.  The only problem is, it was Wednesday, and I knew we would be gone for most of the day until dinnertime. 

Thankfully, the previous Saturday, Dallin had planned a short-notice family party with his side of the family that all of the Utah people were actually able to make it to.  It was a wonderful evening with delicious snacks and treats, talents and visiting.  And his parents gave us an electric multi-cooker/pressure cooker thingy. 

And I found a frozen pork roast in the freezer.  And we had carrots and potatoes and onions.  It has been awhile since we had a hearty meat and taters kind of dinner.  I whipped up some Jello, which we also rarely have, threw the ingredients in the cooker, and hoped for the best.  We came home to a delicious smelling house and prepared a lovely candle-lit feast.  It was cozy and relaxing and delicious!  We took our time enjoying the food and the atmosphere, though a couple of kids disappeared to finish last-minute gifts. 

Then the excitement grew as people awaited their chance to give.  We got out the Santa hat and drew names and shared what we love about each person. 

Daisy stitched loving words into a handkerchief for Dad and decorated a T-shirt for Nathan.  She gave me her no-bake cookies that she got at a white elephant party because she knows I love them.  She printed some colorful pictures of wild animals for Brandon to use for his drawings.  She learned to crochet and made Ruby a cute headband with a flower.  She sewed a sleeping bag for Simon's little bear and sewed a candy cane applique on a white shirt for Sarajoy to match her Christmas skirt.  And for Sullivan she made a little Santa hat just his size.

Brandon had a lot of fun with his gifts, and is getting pretty self-reliant.  He made Sullivan an easy-on belt with a loop for a sword.  I remembered a couple of hand me down swords I'd stashed away from my sister and got them out for him to give to the little boys along with his gifts for them.  That belt and sword was such a hit for little Sulley!  Brandon made Simon a drawstring bag to keep his violin rosin and cloth in.  He made Sarajoy and Daisy doll blankets with matching diapers.  He designed a nail polish holder for Ruby from a hanger that fits all of the different sizes of polish.  He made two bowties (the kind you have to tie!) for Nathan.  He made a pillow for me and an ipad bag with a pocket for the speaker for Dallin.

Ruby helped me get the portraits taken and printed and cut for the annual photo ornaments.  She decided who got which ornament (I found a great deal on them this year so we just had to add photos) and got them all ready and wrapped.

Simon had a great idea to make a little fluff ball with a face on it for Sullivan.  He kept getting creative and it ended up with a Santa hat.  We also made Sullivan a cape, which he immediately put on and has worn it with his sword belt at least once a day since then.  For everyone else in the family, he chose unique fabric and made a pair of miniature corn bags to use as hand warmers. 

Sarajoy made doll stockings for the play house for Ruby, Daisy, and Simon.  Daddy and Sullivan got soft fleece pillowcases with a heart she hand stitched on.  Nathan and Brandon got little pillows scented with essential oils to freshen their bedroom.  For me she drew some sweet pictures of birds. 

Nathan baked his famous snowball cookies for the family treat, and Sullivan made everyone a bag of homemade Chex party mix.  The two of us had a fun time mixing ingredients and shooing everyone else out of the kitchen while we worked on our "secret project". 

Dallin made a personalized book mark for each person with pictures of animals and scripture quotes that remind him of each child and tie in to the animal.  I got elephants, my favorite.  "power, love, and a sound mind".  Nathan got Oxen: "Take my yoke upon you", Brandon Eagle: "Those who wait upon the Lord will mount up as with eagles' wings", Ruby Hummingbird: "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass", Daisy Horses: "chariots of fire..those that be with us are more than those that be with them" , Simon Fish: "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men:, Sarajoy Wild Cats: "The lion shall lie down with the lamb and a little child shall lead them.", and Sullivan Snakes: "If a serpent had bitten any man and he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." and "Look and live and be healed". 

I made Nathan and Brandon crocheted snow hats.  I made Ruby a nail polish organizer.  I made Daisy and Sarajoy diaper bags for their doll things.  I embroidered Simon's name and a violin on a flannel cloth for him to use to clean his violin.  For Sullivan, I crocheted 10 little monsters that fit into a little bed so he can play "10 in the bed". 

We spent some time enjoying one another and our gifts before tucking happily into bed for sweet dreams of giving.