A Little Taste of Christmas

Christmas Program.JPG

My husband and I had the pleasure of attending our grandson’s school Christmas program this past week. I say it was a pleasure because it really was. Four days later, the thought of that program still brings a smile to my face and a feeling of contentment.

We enjoyed watching a large group of 3 – 5 year old preschoolers sing their love of Jesus. It was Wigglers.JPGso much fun watching them do actions, wave at their parents and grandparents, sing, wave some more, do some more actions (not all that belonged to the song) and yes wave at their siblings and parents…….

I was a little fearful that the back row of kids were going to fall off the risers and vanish, with all the squirming, twisting, turning, waving and peering around that they were doing. I thought the teachers showed great insight when they stationed themselves behind those risers and would steady the wiggling masses every now and then.

I discovered that little girls in their sparkly dresses, velvety hair bows, and shiny patent shoes were just as mobile as the small boys were. There was a lot of energy bouncing around on the risers that night.

Somewhere in the middle of all the waving, bouncing, and twisting; those little kids told the amazing story of Christmas. Maybe it was the innocence of children all dressed in their Christmas best….  Maybe it was the atmosphere of excitement…..Maybe it was the gathering of everyone in that gym who came because of love….I am still not totally sure, but somewhere between the start of that program and the ending; the real meaning of Christmas kind of washed over me.

The feeling stole in unnoticed and was covered by the sound of children. Perhaps the sound of children was part of it? All I know is by the time we finished that program and all sang Silent Night from memory there were tears in my eyes and I had the feeling that I had just made a visit to that stable in Bethlehem with a group of preschoolers as my guide.

I am convinced that children are some of the world’s best messengers when it comes to the Christmas story.  Their pure delight in praise, their uninhibited display of joy, and the love that lights up their eyes when they find their family in the crowd all testify to an unconditional love.

It was also a lot of fun to watch my grandchildren after that program.  The school served cookies, coffee and juice afterwards. I had to laugh when those two wee ones would look around to see if their folks were watching and if not, another cookie would quickly disappear into their mouths.  They were chewing as fast as they could.

Our weekend with our family passed way too quickly. It did not take long and we were on our way back home again. The morning we left we got to enjoy the seasons first snowfall with them. (I should say their season’s first snowfall.)

Our grandson woke us up that Sunday morning by running into our room and asking  if we had looked outside. I told him no we had not. In a voice filled with wonder he announced, “It snowed.”

It did not take long and the scrambling for snow pants, boots, mittens and hats started. They sat on the deck and made little miniature snowmen, complete with twig arms, raisin eyes and carrot noses.

After warming up with a cup of hot chocolate it was time for us to get in the car and make the long drive home and for them to head for church.  (fortunately for them, their church has an early and a late morning service.)

squirrelI do wonder if the raisin eyes and carrot noses on those snowmen survived till they got home from church…..their backyard is home to a lot of squirrels.  I have a feeling if they do disappear; it will not be a problem.  The energy and optimism of a three and a five year old will just go ahead and build some new snowmen.

Hope springs eternal in the hearts of children. Magic is to be found in every snowflake and life is something to be danced to like it was music…….and maybe it is……we might have to just listen closely with the heart of a child.

May we take the time to look at the coming week with the heart of a child.  Take time to dance and find the magic.

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:
the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.

Burton Hillis quotes 

Read more: http://www.searchquotes.com/quotes/about/Kids_Christmas/1/#ixzz4S2CPMeAY

44 thoughts on “A Little Taste of Christmas”

  1. Cattie's World says:
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    I agree with this – ” children are some of the world’s best messengers when it comes to the Christmas story. Their pure delight in praise, their uninhibited display of joy, and the love that lights up their eyes when they find their family in the crowd all testify to an unconditional love.”
    Its always fun watching the Christmas Skit of School Children.

    Liked by 2 people

  3. Anne Mehrling says:
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    Wonderment! You caught it in words and pictures. You just opened the curtain to my own celebration of Christmas. I plan to have heart dances for the rest of the month. There could very well be a snow dance there, as well.

    Liked by 2 people

    • thechickengrandma says:
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      It was so good for my heart to see Christmas through their eyes and to see the wonder of that first snowfall. For them it is all possibilities. Make a video of that snow dance! Maybe we could start something there……snow dance videos and just label them Joy :).

      Like

      • Anne Mehrling says:

        Maybe you could get your grandchildren to do a snow dance. Mine are too old. Nathaniel prayed for snow on his birthday several years ago. We got a blizzard with 36 inches of snow and were snowbound for eight days.

        Liked by 1 person

      • thechickengrandma says:

        That is awesome!!! My husband always tells me to be very specific when I pray for something. We needed 3 air mattresses many years ago for a service project we were going to do with our son who was a senior. We really couldn’t afford three air mattresses so I prayed for a sale on them. I found a sale but it was for queen size air mattresses. We really only needed single size ones but they were three times as much so we walked out of the store with 3 queen size!
        I am glad your son got his snow….even if it was probably more than he was thinking.
        I will have to get those grandchildren to do a snow dance. I am pretty sure they would!

        Liked by 2 people

  4. elizabeth kay booth says:
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    I keep and treasure all the photos from when my kids were in Christmas programs, and the little artwork pieces they did in preschool, things they brought home on Mother’s Day…best gifts ever! They’re 11 and 9 now, so I still have alot of fun with them at the holidays, but I miss these sorts of things from when they were little. You captured it very well. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • thechickengrandma says:
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      Thank you so much. My fridge was barren of artwork in the years between my boys and grandkids. It is full, once again of bits and pieces of colored papers, glued bits of things and whatever caught their fancy. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until the grandkids came along.

      Liked by 2 people

  5. peggyjoan42 says:
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    Innocent little children always make adults smile. Especially at special school functions or when it snows, or when life excites them. Their joy is contagious. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  7. bcparkison says:
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    Aren’t Grands just the perfect answer to life’s woes? I know mine have made not having their Grandpa around so much easier for me. We were late getting into the grandparent roll. My oldest son doesn’t have any children (well one in heaven who didn’t get to come here) and #2 son was late getting a son too. #3 son has three in heaven but has been blessed with 5 that are just about the best thing since sliced bread. Love your story and so glade you got to go and enjoy.

    Liked by 2 people

    • thechickengrandma says:
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      These are our only two grandchildren so far. We are definitely hoping for more 🙂 These belong to #1 son. #3 son got married two years ago and #2 son is dating at this point so we are hopeful :).
      I am sorry to hear that you did not get to enjoy some of your grandchildren here on earth. It is a comfort to know they will be waiting for you and are getting to enjoy Grandpa.
      Yes grandchildren are the best thing since sliced bread. I love how they bring out our inner child again. Life is so interesting through there eyes.

      Liked by 1 person

    • thechickengrandma says:
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      That would be the key….to pay attention. My husband took the grandson “adventuring” on Saturday morning. They spent the time getting off the trails at a city park and wandering through the trees finding treasures….. like–rocks, sticks, bits of metal etc. They both came back pretty happy.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. thecobweboriumemporium says:
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    Ohhh Chicken! This post has had me wriggling with joy and delight, and remembering when my two girls were still at school and watching them in their plays. I always thought that I cried because I was watching my babies. But when they’d moved on to their Middle and High Schools, I began volunteering at the local first school where they had attended, helping out with art lessons, and also taking reading classes for special needs children. This led to me being invited to help out at the Christmas plays …. and it was then that I realised that I cry like a baby simply because of the beauty of watching and listening to plays / concerts being performed by little ones.

    Just as you said – there is a specialness – a truth, which comes from watching children perform the Christmas Story, and nothing can replace it or the feeling we get from being involved. Being ‘there’.

    LOVED your story, and the Snow!
    Thank you so much for sharing your special weekend with us.
    God Bless ~ Cobs. x

    Liked by 2 people

    • thechickengrandma says:
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      Still grinning ear to ear thinking about the conversations we had with those two little ones. They are so funny and really really honest.
      My granddaughter has this white/blonde hair that is fine and is usually a tangled mass in the back. When I asked if I could brush it for her she calmly but politely told me, “nope, never grandma.” She looks like a miniature blue eyed Einstein. I wonder if she will blame us , when she is 16, that we let her go out like that? LOL.

      Liked by 2 people

  11. Shattered in Him says:
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    I loved this. My 9 month old son discovered he can stand more independently and reach further. He squealed with delight all day today and the sound of that…there is not a word good enough to describe it.

    At bedtime prayer tonight, my 3yo thanked Jesus with giggles and she blew kisses to God. Makes me teary just thinking about it.

    These wee ones are precious gifts. I am so glad your grandchildren brought joy to the season! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

      • marijo1245 says:

        Isn’t that the truth, too young for a past and no cares about what the future holds…they just are…

        To go back to the days of innocence would be a great joy!

        I’m glad you had a moments recess. Grandkids are truly a blessing!

        Liked by 1 person

  13. PaperPuff says:
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    Do you know what? This just made me feel way more festive than I did a few minutes ago. Your grandbabies and their classmates, and you, just worked a little bit of Christmas magic.

    Liked by 1 person

    • thechickengrandma says:
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      Kids have a great way of just living in the moment. I needed that reminder today, The mixer I had ordered on the Black Friday came in the wrong color :(. It is no fun talking to a machine on the phone to try figure it out. I console myself that the machine could not tell how irate I was getting……at least I hope it did not. Deep breath and think of the kids singing at the program and the grandbabies playing in the snow……life becomes festive again!

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Deb says:
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    Well you brought tears to my eyes as I read this. Children are the best teachers, their innocence is to be appreciated while it lasts. We need to recapture that ourselves, stop missing the magic in everything and enjoy more simple pleasures. I could picture all that twisting and moving and waving and then the sound of their sweet voices singing songs! I think you might be right about the squirrels but as you said that’s okay too! Another beautiful story, thanks Faye!

    Liked by 1 person

  15. kindergartenknowledge says:
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    Your post brought back so many memories of Christmas programs when I taught at the Day School at our church! And visions of our own children in those programs! We never finished a program without the teachers in tears! And the audience too! Little children so instinctively understand deeply the meaning of Jesus’ birth. Later, the world places a different perspective in their hearts. That is why we must work at keeping pure joy and belief in their lives. When I posted those pictures of our daughter’s wedding for their 2nd anniversary… earlier this week, I thought of all the programs she had been involved in right in the spot where the bride and groom and their attendants were standing! My heart was full knowing that her childhood church was still important to her. Thank you for such a very wonderful post!

    Liked by 1 person

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