The Spirit of Christmas

My class is finished, the gifts are wrapped and still hidden so I figured I could post to the blog. YIPPEEEE!!
I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown since Thanksgiving. When I looked at the calendar and realized it was over a month between the two I thought it would be a long slog to Santa’s visit but it has whizzed by.
The Mud Puddle, like any good five year old, loves Christmas especially the holiday music. Granted, this is the kid that made me sing “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” in July in HAWAII but still. There is something about those Christmas tunes that get him going.
I made him a special CD last year with all the ‘hits’ (my definition, used loosely in this context) and we pulled it out again this year.
There is one song in particular that he loves and is a source of great amusement for all of us.
When I was little we had this album:

Which, wasn’t so tacky in 1983 as it is in 2007 (right) and there was one song I loved called “It is His Birthday”. A sampling of the lyrics:

“Jesus was born today. Oh how we praise him.

Sheperds and wisemen say they will ADORE him.”

So I put it on the CD for the MP. It quickly became his favorite song. When it gets to the chorus the back seat is alive with the gleeful shouts of “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”
The good news is, the true meaning of Christmas is alive in his heart (albeit delivered by a macky, 25 year old Oak Ridge Boys song). But it’s better than nothing in my book.

So this year (given his constant shout outs to the Big Guy and his infant son) we started looking at mangers. Because if you are going to appreciate the baby Jesus you might as well put him next to your collection of Nutcrackers (aka Beckys).

My mom’s mom (Nannie) was quite the ceramics whiz and had made us a manger complete with the angel, donkeys, camels, and the other important members of the posse when I was five or so. And it had always been one of my favorite parts of Christmas (second to the silver tinsel Christmas tree with the wheel of color – damn I loved that tree).
My mom was kind enough to let us borrow the manger and it has been the hit of the season.
Upon unwrapping all the participants and seeing the star of the show the MP uttered “Oh Sweet Baby Jesus” in a much different fashion than most folks would usually say it. He put the Baby Jesus in the manger and arranged everyone else around (animals on the OUTSIDE).

He brings out the animals and plays with them a bit while I ring my hands and remind him that they are FRAGILE and OLD and VERY IMPORTANT FAMILY HEIRLOOMS.

He is not a bit fazed and just continues to try and shove a donkey into his lobster trap ornament.

Having the MP has made me fall in love with Christmas all over again.