This year we decided to celebrate the arrival of Santa on the 24^th as is the tradition here in Germany.  I explained to Little T that Santa actually comes a day earlier to Germany, so that he has enough time to fly to Canada to deliver presents there on Christmas morning. I had also explained that Santa doesn’t come during the night, but instead in the afternoon, so there was no need to wake Mommy up at 5am.  Little T didn’t seem to mind getting his presents a day earlier, and I was delighted to sleep in Christmas morning!  I think this is a tradition worth keeping.

Initially we had planned to attend a church service so that Santa could make his sneaky visit while we were out of the house. But, with another round of heavy snowfall (we have about half a meter of the white stuff) and experiencing an exhausting week of driving in a country that is obviously not very experienced with Father Winter (they drive 10km up icy roads), we opted to pass on going anywhere that involves a car.  So instead, Hubby took Little T for a sleigh ride/walk while I stayed home to (wink) “pack”.

After they left and Santa magically came and went, I found myself alone in a room lit by candlelight with Christmas music quietly playing in the background.  The snow was softly falling outside and the backyard was illuminated in a white glow from all the snow.  All I could feel was peace, which was welcomed after a week of packing, saying good-bye, and dealing with an overwhelming feeling of displacement. 

Earlier that day Little T and I spent a good hour playing in our mountain of snow in the backyard. It started off with him whipping a snowball in my direction when I opened the door, but the snow was not snowball material so the handful of snow he threw ended up all over the living room floor like a spilled bag of sugar.  But, I didn’t get upset. Must be something about Christmas Eve that doesn’t allow angry feelings.

I think a freshly snowed backyard is a lovely gift from God. The things you can play are endless.  We made soup, tried building an igloo (which is rather challenging when snow doesn’t stick together) and I wrote the word love in the snow with a stick.  I also wrote the word “Merry” and asked Little T what comes after the word “Merry”.  He answered “Mommy!” and then wrote Little T before the word Merry followed by Mommy.  Little T Merry Mommy.  I think he tells me at least twice a day that he wants to marry me.  I gave up long ago trying to explain that I’m already married, but instead just enjoy his way of expressing love.

Christmas for us this year has been surprisingly peaceful and relaxing, even with the daunting thought of still having to pack up the rest of our things   Our morning began with coffee and reading in bed while our “Santa’s breakfast” heated up in the oven. Hubby makes it every year for our Christmas morning breakfast – it’s a dish you prepare the day before with eggs, bread, cream, leeks, thyme and brie.   Later we played a new board game that Nana and Papa got Little T for Christmas, and now I am enjoying my second cup of coffee and writing while Hubby and Little T are outside enjoying another round in our free playground of snow.

Yesterday we decided that it would be best if we take down the Christmas tree and pack up the decorations today, as that alone can take a few hours.  But now I’m beginning to think that taking down your Christmas tree on Christmas Day is rather depressing. I’m also worried that if we pack it all away, my feeling of peace will go inside the box too.

Then again, maybe I don’t need the symbol of a Christmas tree and lights to keep this peaceful feeling ignited. Instead, I can just close my eyes and think of all the faces that love me, and remind myself how fortunate I am to have so many to think of.

Wherever you are today or whatever you do, I hope too it is filled with peace.