Christmas Activities

The last weekend in November, Charles was in Germany, so I decided to take the girls on an outing. We went to a Christmas market at the Knebworth House. Santa was even there with his reindeer! Sammy asked the care-taker of the reindeer lots of questions about how they fly. The man told her it was magic pixy dust. Sammy was impressed. Santa was a bit pathetic though, his mustache was up over his nose. His sleeves were too short so they tried to hide it by throwing a bunch of cotton over his wrists. Lame! The girls didn't seem to mind, they got a bag of treats from him. What's more important than that? They did conclude that he was probably just one of Santa's helpers and not the REAL thing. I guess you can no longer sit on his lap either. Every Santa we have seen since no one has been allowed to sit on his lap.

This is the girls outside the gates of the Knebworth House.

These pictures are an attempt by me to be a bit creative with the camera. 

I found out that you can see Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol in the Knebworth House at Christmas time. We may have to do that next year.

There was a huge crater sized hole in the lawn outside the house that the girls loved to run down into. The old chapel is just beyond it.

The following week, Abby sang with her school choir at the annual village Christmas lighting carnival. They blocked off the high street and had rides and vendors and performers all night long. It was really fun and a lot bigger than we had expected. I of course had brought no money because I thought she was just going to sing and then we would go home. I had no idea it would be so fun. So the girls got no treats, no rides but they did enjoy the performances from some Glee Club singers.

This was the only free "ride" - a giant sled pulled by a tractor to play on.

We have been quite busy this Christmas season so far. We took the girls to see the Nutcracker on December 3rd. They loved it. It was really fun to watch the reactions to the beautiful, sparkly costumes. They know the story so well because we have watched it every year and read the book many, many times. I think they really enjoyed it. Charles and I certainly enjoyed taking them. I have been dreaming about taking my girls to the Nutcracker for a very long time.   Sammy had her Street Dance recital and was also in the school Nativity play. She was an angel. She was fabulous. The only one to put some extra flare into her angel dance and shake her hips a little more. (Unfortunately, much to my horror, I forgot my carmera so I got NO pictures of the performance.) I have been so happy with the girls' school. I love having them at a church of England school where it is not punishable by death to say the word "Christmas." In Chicago, Abby's school could not make any Christmas crafts or have any Christmas parties. They had to have Gingerbread parties instead. Here, the students all participated to put up and decorate the school Christmas tree. They each got to bring in an ornament and put it on the tree. Sammy was in the Nativity pageant (like I mentioned) and Abby was in the Christmas choir. The girls have both done Christmas cooking with their classes and made mince pies (not my favorite). Abby has been typing up the Christmas story in the computer lab.  Their classes have had Christmas parties where Father Christmas himself showed up and the whole school has a special Christmas dinner together. It is truly lovely! I could go on and on about it. It is such a nice change!