Christmas in California

The Christmas season flew by this year.  Between a late Thanksgiving and an early departure for Texas, there just didn't seem to be enough time to do all the things we wanted to.  Some traditions, like the Hollywood Christmas Parade and the LA Philharmonic Christmas carol sing-along, will have to wait until next year.  Despite that, though, we still had plenty to do in December.

As soon as Thanksgiving was over, the kids helped me decorate the house.

 

Arthur's favorite thing to do this month was visit the Christmas decoration aisles at Lowe's.

 

 

Arthur shopping for Miss Ashley at Jo-Ann's

We went to the neighborhood Christmas party for Magnolia Park as well as the Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony in downtown Burbank.

 

 

Inspired by our friend Zoe who was disappointed she missed this year's Halloween party, we threw a little party for Space Christmas - another chance to use the black lights, glow sticks, and other party leftovers.

 

  

Jo and Aaron in silver and gold holiday bodysuits

 

Space Christmas costume

Red and green DMX lights

I baked over 300 cookies for our friends, neighbors, librarians, coaches, babysitters, gardeners, dog sitters, and so on, and I made fudge for the baristas at our local Starbucks.

 

 

Bret Harte has a tradition where parents donate small items to the "Holiday Beetique."  Then kids can come and shop for their family members.  I made these little Christmas candles.  The beetique is supposed to be a surprise, but I happened to be volunteering in the classroom the day the kindergartners went so I watched B shop for me, Dev, her brothers, and her grandparents.  I was so impressed - most kids either bought things for themselves, or just picked up things more or less at random, but Beatrice really spent time thinking about what each member of her family would like and why.  She got me a pack of glitter pens (because I'm a writer) and some sparkly lip gloss (because I like to dress up and go out in the evening).

The kids made various crafts, including these stamped clay ornaments:

 

We had people over almost every evening to enjoy the fireplace while the weather was unusually cold in LA (it even snowed in the Inland Empire).

Dev and I went to the Applied Minds holiday party, the kids both had parties at school - and then before we knew it, it was time to pack for Texas . . . 

Death mask, decorated for Christmas