'TIS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS...

'TIS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS...

Ever since, it has been a tradition in our house that we celebrate Christmas Eve attending church service, have our Christmas Eve dinner and then open our gifts. 2005 is no different except that this year, the prince of the family celebrated the tradition with us for the first time. When they arrived, right away Kai was all over the house. It surprised me that he picked up the snowman that I made for him I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, showed it to everybody and then put it back next to the tree. He seems very excited because I think this is the first time that he came to Umpha's and Umma's house in the evening. With all the lights, the candles aglow, it must had had some effect on him. I have a place setting for him at our table. He opted just to be himself and do his own thing. He is more interested with the candles and started to blow them out. My mistake! I taught him how to blow a candle. He knows that it it "fire" and it is "hot," and not to touch them. At least he ate at their house before coming here.

I think it is a universal tradition that the youngest member of the family should open the first gift. I handed him a box and told him to open it...Boy did he dive in doing the opening right away. I found out later that he had an opening rehearsal today at their house. He really tore-open the wrappers...and when he saw the batman figure on the box...his first word was "oh no...! Telling him to go on and look what was inside, he was very delighted to see that it was a pair of shoes that lights up. Immediately he wanted to put them on...stumping the soles for the red lights. Umma gave him a collections of cars, and a Christmas story pillow which was welcomed with reservation. His uncle and Julie gave him books...not too interesting than the cars.

He was a great help! He wanted to open every package there is.

This Christmas seems to be different from other Christmas! We have Kai with us and he made the difference. His presence made it very special in may ways! I wish you many, many more Christmas to come Kai!!!