Christmas Advent Calendar, Day 8: Picnic Under the Christmas Tree

The kids and I made it our mission to have a picnic outdoors almost every day this summer, but how often do we have one indoors during the winter? The quick answer: Never! I thought Tory and Aden would get a kick out of having dinner under the Christmas tree, so that's exactly what we did for our advent calendar activity on Day 8.

Tory was utterly confused when I suggested the idea earlier in the day. "But how can we have a picnic under the Christmas tree?" she asked. "There won't be any room!" She's so literal at this age - I love it - and was trying to figure out how we'd sit in the small gap beneath the tree and the floor.

I made the kids an average dinner that wouldn't be *too* messy -- noodles, edamame and oranges for Aden; a sandwich and grapes for Tory, with popcorn for dessert. I laid down a red blanket in front of the Christmas tree, dimmed the lights and played kids holiday music on Pandora. Tory was beyond thrilled! Aden was a bit confused about the whole matter.  

I must've heard a dozen "ooh's and ahh's" from the kids during dinner. They were enamored by the twinkling lights of the tree and the out of the ordinary dinner in the dark. I exercised extra patience with Aden who's physically incapable of sitting still for more than a minute these days. He was up and down, running and dancing with fistfuls of buttery noodles around the living room. It was a special night though, so I let him be. Messes are easy to clean up; I let the wonder of childhood and Christmastime take over.

Tory still couldn't believe we were having a picnic under the Christmas tree. "But we're not under it, Mom. We're sitting beside it." Yes, Tory, you got me there. She demonstrated for me what it'd be like to actually eat under the tree.  

 
A successful advent calendar activity! Loved the simplicity of this one, and how magical it was for the kids.