This year we celebrate Claire’s first Christmas and J made sure to make it a special one by putting up our very first Christmas tree and decorating it with fancy-schmancy ornaments from Crate & Barrel.

We decided not to get the baby any gifts this year because (1) she will not remember it; and (2) she will be happier with a diaper change than with any material object.

That being said, our almost-3-month-old daughter has received more Christmas gifts than her parents…combined. While we are thankful for the generosity of our friends and family, we couldn’t help but wonder if this will be the norm as parents.

We will be spending the day watching two holiday rom-coms: Love Actually and The Holiday. Then it is off to church for Christmas Eve service!

I end this post with the first few verses from the gospel of John. Many people are partial to Luke this time of year, but I myself prefer these words from John 1:1-5, 14.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
….
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.