Merry Christmas!

'Tis the season for Christmas lists and secret Santa. We have a great neighborhood, and almost 50% are members of our congregation...but not 100%. So, the other day, an elderly man (my neighbor) pulls me into his house to show me the "gifts" some woman who is in love with him has been giving him. As soon as I saw the 2 liter bottle of Sprite with the witty little note attached I knew he had a "secret Santa" not a secret lover! But how to explain that to him, when he was holding a pot holder towel set that said something clever about him being "hot"! It was a classic BYU play on words, but to him it was a secret admirer. It helped reset my perspective a bit. We have had amazing secret Santas over the years, we've received everything from a pan full of blue jello with white marshmallow swans "a swimming", to enormously large sums of money that made us cry because of the unknown givers extreme generosity. So, to see first hand the wonder of an elderly man who had never known of someone to secretly give, night after night, prompting him to sprint from his t.v. watching recliner at the first sound of a knock at 7pm each night, only to find yet another gift on his thresh hold, he searches our street, but no one is there, it is exciting, yet frustrating, and it makes me think, I need to do that again some time! I love the spirit of Christ, giving with no thought of return.

I made a double batch of cinnamon rolls (some 8 dozen) on Friday and tried to give them all away, I fell short, but my family helped eat those that remained.

Today, Ryon and I went Christmas shopping together. He is fun to shop with and has really wanted to do some Christmas shopping this year, but we definitely have different shopping styles, I'm more of a take the list (I actually have a spread sheet with all the categories I buy for each person (eat, wear, play, read, surprise...), get only what's on the list, go home (quick and to the point), he's more of a SHOPPER...What is this?, What is that?, Would any one want this cool thing?, let's not skip one aisle in the store kind of shopper. He really owns the spirit of Christmas, I'd have to say. He loves to give with no thought of what he might get in return, except he'd like to get a "surprise" from me this year, but he keeps opening every box I bring home and even Amazon deliveries. What am I supposed to do with that? We do share every space in our home. (If you read this Ryon...which I know you don't.) STOP OPENING THE BOXES!!! Or you'll never have a surprise on Christmas morning!

Savanah hosted her annual Christmas party this year. We made pizza and they watched a movie, and they chatted.

I'm really excited for Christmas this year! All of our children are giving gifts to each other, and they get so excited to see how happy that makes their siblings. A few years ago, Nathaniel gave Andrew some Christmas tree socks that he wore about 5 times a week for 2 years. Ryon would ask Andrew to wear different socks to church in August, but Andrew would still wear his favorite socks. I'm excited for Christmas!