A Loewen Style Christmas Tradition

I love Christmas. I'm not one of those crazy Christmas people, but I do love it. The cozy lights, the excuse to eat sour cream cookies at any opportunity, the Christmas songs that I always tear up at. And every year, I always want to establish Christmas traditions. Truth be told, I'm not very good at traditions. I think it's the MorningStar in me. It firmly established the love for change and flexibility and I have grown to love the "winds of change".

But once you have kids and you realize that those traditions are what makes childhood special and beautiful and memorable, you want to do those things.

So last year, we started one of many Loewen family traditions - the Gingerbread house. Last year went pretty well. I was still in a very deep postpartum funk having just had Greta but I sat by and watched as Chris and Ruby rocked that gingerbread house like it was 1999. And then at the very end, I did something so typical of myself that it's painful to admit. I grabbed the decorating bag full of icing and I took what was a pleasantly decorated gingerbread house and I went waaaaay too far. This is what happens with all craft projects I attempt. I never know when enough is enough.

This year I immediately began this tradition by rocking the boat. I found this Wilton gingerbread kit but instead of one big house, you decorate 5 little houses. I was pumped. How cute would a little village of gingerbread houses be??? And the picture on the box looked so beautiful.

Well today was the day. We whipped that thing out and before you know it, we were knee deep in teeny tiny pieces of gingerbread and teeny tiny sprinkles. Apparently, I hadn't really thought this one through. Yeah, of course the pieces would be too tiny for a 3-year old to put together. Yeah, of course the decorations would be too tiny for a 3-year old to put on the houses.

So in typical "Fall tradition" fashion, Chris took the reins and proceeded to decorate the crap out of those houses. And in typical "Crystal" fashion, I had to get in on it too. But this time, I was determined not to take it too far.

Ladies and Gentleman, may I present to you the Loewen's 2011 Gingerbread Village affectionately named "Schmonfeld".

I like to refer to Chris' as the "wrong side of the tracks". He began the project with much fervour with the red-roofed dwelling; trying as best as he could to mimic what was pictured on the box. When it failed to look anything like the picture, he lost hope when he began the far left home, using up many pieces of the gingerbread that were meant for the nearest left one. This home has suffered greatly and the only thing that compensates for its lack of square footage is the landscaping. Would you look at those sprinkles!

And then let me take you on a journey to the posh side of Schmonfeld. Where the streets are lined with gold and the trees are plentiful.

Look at those shingles, people! Colour-coordinated even! The house nearest to you, despite its resemblance to an outhouse, has not one, not two, but THREE windows with awnings. Lap. Of. Luxury. And the house to your far left is quite a looker (please ignore that sunken in wall). Who wouldn't want to cozy up by the fireplace in one of these babies?

What the residents of Schmonfeld don't know is that tomorrow, they are going to be rocked with a natural disaster known as "El Niño Ruby", which is Spanish for "The Niño Ruby". Have mercy on their souls.