At the Steam house we open our family presents on Christmas Eve morning, because Christmas day is spent with extended family. Its such a wonderful time. N sorts the presents into piles for him and his sister while we wait for M to wake up.
Then the kids open their stocking presents one at a time. They had lots of little treasures in their stockings. Once the stockings are open its time for the big presents. Those are also opened one at a time so that everyone can see what everyone else got. And yes at ages 2 and 5 they waited patiently while the other one opened a present.
It was so much fun to watch them open their presents and see how excited they were about their different finds. I has some surprises myself in their reactions. There were a few presents that I didn’t think would be a big deal for them, but they LOVED.
This is the FIRST present M opened and it CRACKED ME UP. Look at her face. The pure concentration of a critic or serious shopper taking in EVERY detail on the shirt. It evidently passed her test because she demanded that I put it on her RIGHT NOW!
They both liked their aprons. I was impressed that N knew it was a chefs hat. And I can’t wait to cook with them in their new gear.
The superhero ornaments were a big surprise. I expected N to make a really big deal of them because he so LOVES to decorate Christmas trees. He did all 6 of ours and the trees at both Grandparents houses. And he did like his ornaments, but M went NUTS for them. She wouldn’t stop playing with them. When I asked if she wanted to put them on her tree she ran for her room. SHE had to put the ornaments on and wouldn’t let me touch them.
The wands were also a surprise. I expected M to like hers and N to be so-so. But wrong again Steam. N LOVES his Bat Signal. And we all made a bee-line for the bathroom so we could put the glow sticks in where it was dark.
But the best reaction of all was N when he opened his superhero peg dolls. He looked at them screamed and then kissed them about 20 times. I am not sure, but I think he liked them.
Both kids know they can only ask for ONE gift from Santa. So they do put a lot of thought into what they ask for. I have been quite surprised that for both kids the gift they wanted stayed consistent for MONTHS. No wavering. No hesitation.
The Santa gift is the LAST gift they open because it’s the ONE gift they want the most.
N requested a remote control monster truck. And, no I didn’t make that. But N and Mr. Steam are. We got him a kit car that will require DAYS of assembly. He has proven tho that he has the patience for such a project. So what do you think? Does he look a little happy?
M wanted a “Melmo Pak Pak.” I sooooo wanted a picture of her face when she opened her beloved backpack. But alas she wanted to sit on my lap. I have to rely on Mr. Steam’s description of her face and her subsequent reaction. Which of course was to wear it EVERYWHERE.
I had so many second thoughts after making my kids so many presents. Would they like them? Would they rather have store bought gifts? Their reactions to their presents though was priceless. While N and Mr. Steam were beginning the assembly process, M would just walk around and play with one toy and then another and then another. It warms my heart to know that my kids like their homemade gifts.
Gift detail posts:
Awesome Christmas – this is how they should always be <3 Merry Christmas!
Thanks Dawn! Merry Christmas to your crew as well!
Love it!!! Gwen, you really are inspirational. I swear, next year, most gifts will be handmade.
Merry Christmas!
Thanks Nancy! I am not sure I should be an inspiration. I know it seems crazy but making stuff is the only thing that keeps me sane between work, the house, the kids and Mr Steam. So you can tell by the number of homemade gifts it was a CRAZY year!