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One thing I had absolutely ZERO self-control about was having to wait on Christmas morning until everyone in the family was ready before heading downstairs for presents!
I still struggle with this! 🙂
But back then my mom wanted us to troop down the stairs together.
I mean, who could blame her?? She wanted an awesome photo op of our faces when we first saw the tree!
I usually woke up at about 5, raced into my brothers’ room, jumped on their beds to get them going, and then we would all march into the master bedroom to wake up our parents. One year my brother actually played Bugle Calls on his trumpet to wake them up. They weren’t too thrilled about it – especially because they had probably just gone to bed a few hours before. 🙂
So, what does every parent need? A plan! A strategy to keep those Happy Buddies from starting Christmas Fun before you’re ready!
Here are some of my favorite ideas…
1. Baby Jesus in the Hall – I mentioned this idea on an earlier post, but in case you missed it, some Happy Home Friends of mine use the Baby Jesus figure from their nativity set as a signal to their kids that it is time to start Christmas Fun. The deal is that the kids have to stay in their rooms, occasionally peeking into the hall to see if the Baby Jesus has been placed there. Once it has, they are free to run out and meet the Happy Parents by the tree.
2. Come and Worship! – I love this idea because worship and music are so dear to our Happy Home! Why not tell your kids that they must stay in their rooms until they hear the sweet sounds of Christmas Music playing? What a great way to announce the arrival of our King! Can’t you just see your kids trooping down the halls to the declarations of, “Joy to the World! The Lord is come!”
3. The Christmas Bell – The Happy Hubby’s brother and his wife ring a small bell when it is time for their four girls to emerge from their rooms. Another wonderful sound announcing Jesus’ birth!
4. Early Christmas Stockings – One Mom I know sneaks into her kids’ rooms after they have fallen asleep and she hangs their stockings from their bedposts. This way, when they wake up, they are allowed to open up their stockings. She always includes some small toys to keep them busy until a reasonable hour.
5. Underwear Dash – I am not even kidding when I tell you this – My mom told me that when she was growing up, her dad would run around the house wearing only a Santa hat and his underwear, ringing jingle bells. He’d race into each of the kids’ rooms and shout, “Hurry! Hurry! Look out the window! Santa’s been here! We have to try to see him!” And all of the kids would look for Santa while he raced off in his underwear and jingling bells. After the kids tried to see Santa, they would then come downstairs to see the magic Santa had left. And then her dad put his pants on. 🙂
I hope some of these ideas help you and your Happy Homes this Christmas! But if you are anything like me, then you probably will be up at 5 am right along with them – eager to get on with the Christmas Fun!
So why not have a tradition where you take a picture of your clock every year – featuring the exact time your Happy Buddies woke up?? Stick those pictures in an album every year and what a fun thing to look back through as they get older!
Happy Christmas Morning Plan-ing! 🙂
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