Head Tale

A few years ago, I did a post about some Christmas traditions over the years.

Yesterday, we braved the mall (maul!) on the last Saturday before Christmas to get a picture with The Grinch, a local cos-player who’s been doing a variety of activities and events around town during the Christmas season including providing an alternative to Santa photos for a fee or donation to charity.

I don’t think we’ll make visiting malls on the Saturday before Christmas a tradition but I’d definitely do pictures with the Grinch again as he not only dressed as the character but embodied the personality as well with funny, snarky interactions with not only Pace and Sasha but Shea and I as well!

And while I’m talking about traditions, here’s a run down of the status of our others:
[Done] Mid-November – start our Christmas shopping by ordering a bunch of crap from China on “Singles Day”
[Done] Late November – put up Christmas tree and also decorate house with mixture of store-bought and kid-made decorations
[Ongoing] Late November to Right Before Christmas – do our Christmas shopping for everyone
[Done] Early December – attend various work Christmas functions for adults/children
[Done] Mid-December – go for a special Christmas lunch with Shea at some new/buzzy restaurant in town.  This year’s choice was Avenue and it was great as we got to sit at their “kitchen bar” and watch the chefs work within arm’s reach of us.
[Done] Mid-December – attend kids’ Winter Concert (or more recently, the school has switched to a “Winter Fair” with crafts and activities in each classroom in a more “come and go” format.
[Done] Mid-December – write thank-you cards to all my staff including a personal note and a small gift card to a local business, either one in our library’s service area and/or a popular local small business.
[Pending] Sometimes in December – watch “Love Actually”
[Pending] Christmas Eve – Kids open one present – usually pyjamas and either a board game or small toy.
[Pending] Christmas Eve – Pace reads “The Night Before Christmas” to assembled family
[Pending] Christmas Eve – New one this year.  All grandparents and us decided to do a Secret Santa gift exchange instead of trying to buy gifts for every other individual.
[Pending] Christmas Eve – Santa puts out presents unopened in front of tree.
[Pending] Christmas Day – open presents, drink coffee with booze, assemble toys/add batteries as needed
[Pending] Christmas Day – have an afternoon nap!