The Holiday After the Holiday

In recent years I have come to enjoy Black Friday every bit as much as Thanksgiving. Seth's family LOVES Black Friday. They look at ads and gear up on Thursday, and hit the sales all day on Friday. It is not even about getting any specific item. I have heard them make plans to hit a certain store for nothing more than socks. It is just a fun tradition and a fun day with family. A few years ago my mother in law's enthusiasm for the event finally rubbed off and I decided to join in. I still don't do the 5AM sales. Seth goes first to get any doorbusters that may be on our list. This year it was a keyboard for Miss Alyssa who has informed us that she is starting a garage band. After me and the kids roll out of bed and eat breakfast, Seth comes back for us and we make a day of it.

This year there wasn't even really anything that we wanted on sale but we still went out and let the kids get caught up in the hustle and bustle. We hit the toy store, where the kids made wish lists, and we will go back for those items. Since they weren't on sale there was no point waiting in line for an hour. We walked around the department stores where the crowds and smell of the perfume counters reminded me of Christmas Eve shopping with my step sister, Melissa, as a child. We hit Menards (a hardware store) because they always have the weirdest stuff at Christmas time. We kept with tradition and purchased our annual family ornament.

I just love Christmas! We didn't even end up buying much but it was such a fun day together, although I did sorely miss the wacky purchases that my mother in law brings home.

After shopping we stopped for lunch at Chipotle, which is not particularly noteworthy but it did contribute one cute story to the day. Alex and Alyssa were sharing a drink because they don't drink much and I am too cheap to buy 2 drinks that will remain 3/4 full at the end of the meal. Alyssa yanked the cup rather abruptly from Alex at one point. We made her give it back and reminded her to use her manners. A few minutes later she still sat there giving us the stink eye. She is a stubborn little girl. Alex put his head down and started slowly and silently passing the drink to her. We just looked at him but didn't speak. He lifted his eyes up briefly and met our gaze and quietly bluffed, "I heard her say please pass the root beer." Did I tell you this kid had a beautiful soul? He can't bear to see someone in trouble, or sad.

*Just so you know Alyssa has so many beautiful characteristics and you know I adore that little girl. I don't want it to look like I am throwing her under the bus. This was a shining moment for Alex, but Alyssa is certainly a little beacon of light in her own right.

After lunch and Chloe's nap we headed out to the downtown lighting ceremony. The stores downtown were hosting free games, face painting, balloon animals, crafts, and lots more. We didn't even stop to participate in all of it because it was cold and there was a pretty good sized crowd everywhere we went. The kids had a great time though and wanted to stay all night. I loved it too because I think it is awesome when the city puts on free, family-oriented events. It makes me so happy to live here. I also love our little historic downtown but I am afraid that it is on the verge of becoming extinct. I love to see people buzzing around in the little local shops. I would love to see downtown thriving. Why is it that we love strip malls and are perfectly content to let historical beauty die? That is just my little soap box. I would hate to see our little downtown become like Buffalo, New York. When I lived there I could see how beautiful it must have been once but the windows were all smashed out, stores were boarded up and all the phenomenal old houses were split in to several run down apartments. So sad! But anyhow, that was a tangent and I will now invite you to have a look at our little night out on the town.

Making popcorn balls at the popcorn store

Or just munching them in Chloe's case

Making ornaments. They had about 5 stops for different ornaments but we just made one.

Meeting Mrs. Claus

And writing letters to Santa. Yes, I let me kids play along with the whole Santa thing. I think I scared everyone last year when I came out swinging at Santa. I let my kids join in the fun. We watch Polar Express and I even make cookies to leave out, but I do not jump in to the whole thing with both feet. Last year when Alyssa told me that she thought Glenn (my step dad) was Santa because she never saw him go to bed on Christmas Eve, I told her that I thought that was probably very likely and that I had suspected as much as a child too. We can play and have fun with the whole Santa thing, but I will never be one of those ladies who wears the light up Christmas sweater and a button that says Believe. But I promise that I do love Christmas, last year I had some people suggest otherwise so I am just setting the record straight. I love Christmas!

Enjoying the window displays

Look who was riding around on the trolley, so much cooler than at the department store.

Alyssa was excited, Alex a little nervous

And Chloe, well she could be heard around town shouting her disdain. She is still telling me, "Papa on a dro-lee, scary." She calls Santa Papa (Grandpa)

The End...of the night, and the beginning of the season.