Christmas 2010

When we felt the kids were old enough, we’ve given them a choice at Christmastime:

Option #1: Choose a family vacation. No presents, only presence. The trip is the gift.

Option #2: Stay home and receive three gifts each.

Our reasoning for the three gifts has always been pretty simple...if three gifts were good enough for the Savior, they’re good enough for our little ones.

Mr. B.T.C and I started this tradition because we never wanted Christmas to become all about getting. And over the years, some of my favorite gifts have been the ones nobody could unwrap...the places we’ve gone, the things we’ve experienced together, and all that uninterrupted family time tucked in between.

For the past three Christmases, the kids chose the trip and we packed everyone up and headed for the snow.

This year they chose home.

Now, in the interest of honest family history, I should probably admit that I may have influenced that decision just a tiny bit.

We had just moved into our new home, and I really wanted Christmas here.

I rarely prime the children.

But I may have made an exception.

And I’m so glad I did.

We had family come to our house, and instead of bundling everyone up in ski clothes, the kids traded them in for swimsuits. We heated the pool and let them swim the day away.

The airplanes were a hit with the older boys...including Mr. B.T.C., who apparently still qualifies as one of the boys.

Dawson, however, looooved his Star Wars Legos. I’m beginning to think he may never outgrow them.

And the girls? Their favorite gifts were definitely their iPods.

Three little gifts each, a house full of family, and nowhere else we needed to be.

Turns out staying home can be a pretty wonderful Christmas gift too.