Somehow I know I’m going to see a television replay of the Sound of Music in my homeschool Christmas.
This film shares the value of home and family.
- That we can face every metaphorical mountain.
- That it’s not naïve to have an irrepressible zest for life.
- And that we can focus on what is good, hopeful, and joyful in the world.
These are 24 favourite things in my homeschool Christmas.
So I’ll turn on Julie Andrews and remind myself what I love most in my homeschool Christmas.
A– Art. Impressionist and romantic, still life and landscape, oil and pastel, homemade or art galleries. Fancy prints in the art gallery or for my home study.
B — Bed and breakfasts. The connection with new people, the coziness of a homestay, and the excitement of the new spring season of my very own bed and breakfast.
C — Chocolate. Godiva chocolate, chocolate croissants, Nelson Chocofellers chocolate, Rogers chocolates, Sweet Georgia Browns, and my daily treat, Sea Salt Lindt dark chocolate. I’ll take Toblerone or Ferrero Rocher too. Just chocolate.
D — Dogs and Drinks. Nature walks are necessary with our Great Pyrenees. Which requires nature therapy every day, tromping through snow, and enjoying the sights outside our windows, as we are outside our windows. Then arrive home to a cup of steamy tea or a sip of the Christmas gin.
My homeschool Christmas includes a few of my favourite things…
E — Eggs. Eggs for baking, eggs for Saturday omelets, eggs to sell. Ameracauna blue eggs. Brown eggs. Eggs from my own chickens.
F –Family. There’s no way to enjoy all the little things quite so easy when you have the eyes of little ones to see this entire season through, no matter how big the little one’s eyes are getting. And Facebook, yes, I said it. Facebook can be a great place for us to support each other.
G — Globes, snow globes, the golden globes, topographical globes for geography, the snow globe I live in when I look outside my living room window as the snowfalls.
H — Home, and actually staying here. Amen to staycations and non-extracurricular days, and actually ‘home…schooling.’
I — Interests, passing or permanent, random or structured, as we pursue them all as homeschoolers, parents, and children alike. And Instagram, where I get to know you more and you can learn more about me.
J — John Holt and John Taylor Gatto and Julie Bogarts, three great J’s, the homeschooling mentors who focus me on my homeschooling freedoms. And reading, reading, reading to inspire me more.
K — Kindling fires. To sit by while reading, writing, enjoying a nip, chatting, or listening to music.
In my homeschool Christmas we celebrate with the traditions we’ve created in our homeschool, the things delight and surprise us.
L– Leisure. If there’s anything about the Christmas holidays I enjoy most, it is leisure and lights. Magical Christmas lights.
M — Moosletoe. A story about daddy moose who forgets to bring home a Christmas tree so he twirls his moosestache into a tree wrapped in lights all night long before Santa arrives. Yup, you’ll love it too.
N — Nature. It brings us back to a quiet, settled spirit. The cheapest of therapy. Then come inside for mugs of hot cocoa, and snuggles on the sofa with books in front of the fireplace.
O — Obvious Christmas gift ideas. Not scanning internet sites for endless hours but having a tangible wishlist instead.
P — Pinterest, for creative décor, cooking, and gift inspiration.
Q — Let’s move on to R…
R — Recipes, and the joy of baking together with the family traditions: chocolate almond mocha shortbread, gingerbread, and Martha Stewart lemon bars.
S — Snow. Somewhere between October and December, the kid’s enthusiasm for being outside declines…’nothing to do’ is the old refrain. Me, I still find a way to garden in the greenhouse. But when the snow hits…sledding and cross country skiing…fun!
T — Time. To re-create. Leave the academic routine for January, and the extracurricular schedule too.
V — Vegetarian offerings: a healthy fast food restaurant in my town, yum yum. And vegan brownies are the only vegan go-to food that I would happily go to.
X — Let’s move on to Y…
Y — Yesterday’s dinner: Got to love leftovers when we cook as often as our family does. YouTube…where I can regularly share with YOU!
Z — Zwieback from my Mennonite Grandma’s kitchen and the nostalgia of childhood Christmases, and of course, irrepressible zeal for the future.
No matter the mountains we have had to climb this past year, or ones we might need to climb next year, we can zealously acknowledge the things that bring us joy.
Bolster Boundaries at the Holidays for Homeschool Moms
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Teresa Wiedrick
I help homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.
Call to Adventure by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3470-call-to-adventure
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
