Getting Ready...
Last night we started our advent celebration- getting ready for the arrival of Jesus on Christmas day. We put out the manger scene (Silas is very excited about the baby Jesus and goes over frequently to look at him), decorated the tree, had some gingerbread and started our advent devotions. I'm sure I've mentioned it on the blog before, but the holiday season feels so different here in Thailand. With the hot weather and none of our neighbors celebrating, it is like celebrating Christmas alone in the middle of July. There is a festiveness though, for the King's birthday on Sunday and for the New Year. For me, Christmas starts when we sing Christmas carols and sit in the dark gazing at the tree. For the first time, the girls remember a lot of the Christmas carols.
Silas, my assistant baker, samples the gingerbread batter.
Every year, it's a big event to unwrap each nativity figure and decide on the exact right placement. Silas loved unwrapping cows and sheep.
Opening the Christmas trunk is a big event too- Claire loved seeing her nativity which she explained is "very precious" to her because Grandaddy and Grandmom gave it to her last year. The kids had to try on the Santa hat and Silas tried on a beard too.
I love how Silas says "wow" a lot now. "Christmas tree! Wow!"
Having some gingerbread and cocoa- our traditional tree decorating snack.
A little bit of Thailand on the tree.
Eliza reads our advent devotions.
"Oh come let us adore him...Christ the Lord."
-C