Christmas and Santa Cheer

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I hope you’ve had a Merry Christmas today and if you’re not celebrating Christmas or Chanukah, I hope you’ve had a wonderful Sunday.

We did.

Daughter skylar

Santa came.

Table of children's toys

He made it all the way down from the North Pole down to the South Pole and found one good little girl’s here here in Aruba.

Complete with overweight baggage fees from Delta Airlines.

Children's toys and crayola art set on table

Art supplies and puzzles tend to weigh down the sleigh.

Santa was able to source the rest of the loot locally, like a play beauty salon, play kitchen food, and Barbies.

Skylar playing with present toys

Actually, Santa came to Aruba two weeks ago and Skylar’s been playing with her toys for the past couple weeks.  I took these pictures then.

What good do the toys do sitting hidden in a closet when she could be using them?  Not to mention, for every minute spent drawing, that was one less minute I had to listen to the television being on and loud cartoons on within earshot.  The channel choices we have here are quite limited and there’s an abundance of the most obnoxious ones.

And she’s loved her markers and crayons, play food, and play beauty salon.  Here she is sniffing the plastic atomizer telling me how good the perfume smells.  Nothing wrong with her imagination.

Skylar and plastic atomizer

So it was a win to give the gifts early: less tv time and more imaginary play when we’re not at the beach.

Aruba beach and offshoot umbrellas

She’s also been showered with gifts from our Aruban neighbors.  Our neighbors here are either childless or their children are grown and they’ve told us it gives them joy to buy a few little things for her.

She’s hit the Dora, Barbie, and play food jackpot and has loved every pink second of it.

Skylar

I’ve loved every second of today.  It has been picture perfect.  From sun up until sun down, it’s been sunny, gorgeous, beautiful and we’ve been to the pool.

Poolside with slide and chairs

The beach and then back to the pool.

Aruba ocean with ships

We had a family walk with this view.

Aruba path with ocean in distant view

Lots of fresh fruit, more Cookie Butter White Chocolate Banana Smoothies than I ever thought my little Magic Bullet could make or that my family could drink to wash down our crunchy snacks.

Cookie Butter White Chocolate Banana Smoothies

The day was filled with beautiful weather, laughs, and love.

Aruba beach and ocean

I’ve truly had a Merry Christmas with my family and I hope yours has been the same.

Merry Christmas!

Questions:

Did Santa stop by your house this year?  What did he bring? Or any fun memories of great gifts that Santa (or the Chanukah closet) brought you as a child?

Did you receive any gifts this year that you’re in love with?  Do tell!

What did you do today?

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Comments

  1. Looks like Skylar got some awesome gifts!

    I got some really cool things this year, and I am pretty excited about them all!! I got a food processor, donut pan, wrap boots, a phrenology head (ornament, not to use), an owl cookie jar, and some other stuff.

  2. Haha what a great post! Your little girl is so sweet. You’re a great Mom, not everyone would pay that extra fee to continue the Santa tradition! So glad she got to enjoy her presents early too, drawing is much better for the soul than T.V. watching :-)

  3. Cute pics, looks like Skylar had a great early Christmas. No Santa here, but I got some great gifts from hubby, family, & friends.

  4. What a perfect Christmas to be in Aruba with your family!
    I have to say that God has blessed us with a healthy baby girl for Christmas and she is so stickin’ precious. Her big sisters adore her too. That is always a bonus! :-) Ha! Enjoy another day in paradise!

  5. I’ve eaten all of the presents I got (something about Christmas brings out everyone’s inner baker). Now I get to spend today snuggling with my husband while watching Christmas movies and pretending the holiday carries on. :)