When they first came downstairs, both kids were fixated on the fact that the cookies were gone. They almost didn't notice the gifts under the tree! Bud was particularly amazed that Santa finished all the cookies. I am, too, because there were 8 gingerbread cookies decorated to the point that you couldn't see the cookies! Over and over, hours after finding the plate of crumbs, Bud and Sis would happily comment on how they couldn't believe Santa ate the cookies!
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When they did notice the gifts, they began circling the tree noticing different things. They pointed out various unwrapped gifts--Bud claimed his Hot Wheels Dinosaur racetrack and assigned (correctly) the dollhouse-like treehouse to Sis. And then they started tearing into the gifts with their names on it. We eventually got them to slow down. And then Bud got the marble run. After that, it was almost impossible to entice him to open any more. Sis, on the other hand, was having so much fun that she was helping the adults catch up when she was almost out of presents to unwrap.
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At least she'll still need me to buy the chocolate.
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Sis exclaimed every time she opened a present, unprodded in expressing her delight and gratitude. When she opened her Playmobil horse and lady rider duo, one of only two gifts (along with the Pet Shop animals set) for which she specifically asked, she said, "I wanted this my whole life!"
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Bud, during the umpteenth straight hour of playing with his Hot Wheels dinosaur racetrack thingie, declared, "this is the best Christmas ever!"
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Bud was particularly adept in coercing all the adults to play with him, mainly to help put all the cars back in place once the tricks had been done, so he could start over again. We started thinking of him as our own Tom Sawyer! Pop also called him, "the littlest general."
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Sis really helped with Christmas dinner, making the rolls, helping wash the veggies, making sure everyone had silverware and a napkin, serving everyone some of her sweet potatoes, directing Bud to pass around the rolls. And this was after she'd spent some of the morning in her pink "Queen of the Kitchen" apron serving pretend cupcakes to everyone and grilling up shish kebabs!
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Pop bravely tried roasted Brussel sprouts, one of only two foods he detests (the other is liver). Gommie said, "Bravely? He's a grown man!" I wouldn't say he liked it but he did swallow it. More than I would do with liver!
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Bud and Pop spent most of the day playing together, beginning with the balsam wood airplanes Pop had purchased upon seeing how delighted Buddy was with a plain paper airplane. They threw those around the house for awhile. And when one got banged up, Bud fetched glue while Pop explained that repair was probably as important as learning how to fly. Later, Pop was head car replacer responsible for getting the racetrack ready for the next set of tricks. And he did that for hours.
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There was a decorative wooden nutcracker under the tree because everytime for the last month that the kids saw one in the stores we had to stop and work the mechanism. We even played the music from the ballet at home, trying to explain the story, which didn't much interest them. But Bud loved the nutcracker (a traditional soldier/drum major-type one), to the point that he kept coming into the kitchen to ask for food to crack. We had to keep explaining that it wasn't for real food. Though, I think Mama would have liked help shelling her delicious but time-consuming roasted chestnuts.
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We wore Gommie and Pop out. Even with extra coffee, afternoon cookies, and a few naps, they were ready to call it a day before bedtime. But by then, really, they'd put in about a 12-hour Christmas day.
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The cats are tired, too, and eventually just holed up somewhere and didn't appear for hours.
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Finally, Mama just fell asleep, with a cat on her lap. It's time for bed. Good night!
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