When you picture Christmas this year...

Christmas eve at my parent's house has always been a musical affair.  After dinner my mother moves to the piano and the box full of jingle bells, tambourines, castanets and other clanky noise makers is passed around and we sing Christmas carols.  A couple of years ago my mom bought us all felt reindeer antlers to wear while we were singing.  Luckily, right in the middle of our celebration our friend, Tien (who is from Vietnam and understood only enough of Christmas to know that it would be important to us), came by with a gift.  My mother was thrilled.  She handed over her own reindeer antlers and a set of jingle bells.  Tien left in a hurry after a couple of songs that he had never heard before (I guess Joy to the World isn't big in non-Christian households) and has never since made the mistake of stopping by on Christmas eve.

The two grandchildren who will be attending Christmas eve at my parent's house this year are aged 1.5 and 2.5.  They are great friends and great enemies all at the same time.  For just an instant we thought about doing the nativity scene with the two of them.  Two Marys, two baby Jesuses, parents running interference but we quickly came to our senses and decided that a puppet show would be a better option.

We're using this printable (which I clearly stole.  From here) and during the course of the evening we'll be cutting out the puppets and sticking them to straws which people can hold or which we'll put into a flower pot filled with rice.

If you are interested in puppeteering we are still accepting applications though you are going up against a little girl who walks around the house pointing at everything and yelling, 'MINE" (I am actually considering making two sets just to avoid confrontation).   You can also feel free to just stop by.  Maybe there will be a set of reindeer antlers and some jingle bells in it for you.