Zummer Klaus

Last year we held our first Christmas in July which was a BIG hit, so we decided to make it a family tradition and do it again this year. Since we're still feeling our way through what this holiday should be like, we made a few additions this year:

• We decided that the message for the kids would be that we wanted to remember that God gives us gifts every day not just once a year at Christmas, so this was a holiday to help us remember and be thankful for those gifts.
• We decided that Santa Claus has a summer counter part - Zummer Klaus - and that he brings 1 present for the Summer Christmas.
• We decided that Zummer Klaus put presents by your shoes, instead of a stocking.

I told JJ about Zummer Klaus then told him "but I don't know what he looks like or how he gets around. Do you know?" He said he did! So, here's the specs on Zummer Klaus according to JJ:

• Size: Large. Specifically tall and fat.
• Hair: Orange. And all over his body. (very hairy)
• Eyes: Purple
• Mode of dress: Flip flops and red shorts. Nothing else.
• Mode of transportation: A magic airplane
• How he gets into your house: Through the bathtub faucet.
• Where does he live: In a swimming pool

I never would've known that Zummer Klaus was a large hairy carrot top dressed in red shorts and flip flops lazing around the pool, with the ability to travel through water pipes. Good thing JJ was in the know - we put out shoes out by the bath tub and wouldn't you know it? He found them just fine (and without tracking water all over the house) ;)

First Christmas

And, as anticipated, the most popular item was (drum roll please....) - the BOXES!  Yep, typical kid, likes the boxes better than the toys. Fortunately he's started getting into the toys, but only because I've put the boxes in the recycle bin :)  

It's a good reminder sometimes that we do not need "stuff" to find fun.  I remember when a large box and a marker was all the toys I needed for fun. John and I have been trying to scale back on "things" focus, and it's kind of neat to see that we arrive on this earth without a need for electronics or fancy toys that require batteries.