Christmas is Alive and Well!

Christmas time is almost here! You will be happy to know that Christmas is alive at the Fugate household...and so is Santa Claus! Jacob has been learning all about the holiday and how Santa Claus comes to visit all the good boys and girls on Christmas Eve. He is all excited to know that Santa will leave toys and candy for all the good children in their stockings and under the Christmas tree. Now...if he can just get the "good" part down...LOL! Bless his heart, he really is trying.

 

So far, we have decorated the Christmas tree and hung up the stockings. Of course, we had to decorate the tree in the child-friendly fashion this year. This means that the decorations only come down to a certain line....Jacob's reach. He is so excited about the tree that he just has to grab decoration off of it. He wants to help with the decorating. But his idea of decorating is taking ornaments off of the tree and flinging them down the basement stairs! Maybe he is just trying to spread the Christmas spirit around a little bit more. Who knows?!?

This past weekend, we traveled to Grayson, Kentucky. This is where my wife Lisa spent her childhood so we try to get back there every now and then just to see how things have changed. While we were there, we went shopping at K-Mart. Well wouldn't you know it....they had a huge sale on toys! We just had to make sure that "Santa" was able to get some good bargains on the Christmas bonanza that will soon hit. LOL! Of course, I had to distract him while the toys were loaded into the van. HA!

We also hit several other stores on our way to Ashland and Huntington. In Wal-Mart, we even got to see the old man with all the toys himself....Santa Claus! We quietly informed Santa that this was the first time Jacob had ever seen Santa in person and that he might be a little bit frightened. Old Santa was really calm and kind with Jacob and didn't let out with any loud "HO HO HO's." Instead, we gently placed Jacob in his lap. Santa asked Jacob what he wanted for Christmas. Jacob was really shy and quiet, but he didn't cry or try to get down. I was afraid that he would shout "NOT REAL" and try to jerk Santa's beard off! Instead, he bashfully told Santa that he wanted a guitar and some drums for Christmas. Add a couple more items to the list! LOL! Luckily, his Mamaw Janet has already gotten him a guitar...so that just left a drum set for us to get for him. Check!

After a long day of shopping and playing with the toys in the toy aisles, we hit Central Park in Ashland, Kentucky. They have a fantastic Christmas light display. The best thing about it is that you can drive all the way around it and see everything. You don't even have to get out of the car. Now, it isn't as big as the Southern Lights at the Horse Park...but it is a really nice display. Jacob's eyes got really big as he gawked out of the window so that he could see everything. He kept saying "Again...see it again!" So we made a couple trips around the park so that he could enjoy it.

It was a long day...but it was a good day. I think that "Santa" is all ready to go now. The toys are snuggled away in a secret location....ready to make their grand appearance on Christmas day. I still need to see which ones come in multiple parts. I will get to take on the role of Head Elf....putting all of this stuff together. I certainly don't want to be stumbling around all bleary-eyed on Christmas morning trying to fit Tab A into Slot A....or trying to find batteries! What would Santa do? LOL!

This will be our first Christmas as a family....and Lisa and I couldn't be happier. We spent so many years waiting to be parents. And now that moment is here. Our first Christmas. We just want to make it a magical moment for our little boy. I know that each Christmas is a special, magical time. But there will never be a "first" Christmas ever again. We plan to make this year the best one in the books.

So as we count down the days until old Santa arrives, I hope that each and every one of you will find the Christmas spirit alive and well at your house as well. Christmas is a time full of love and giving. And Christmas through the eyes of a child is something that is worth more than all of the silver and gold in the world. God Bless! Merry Christmas!

Until next week....class dismissed!