Blame it on the Dove

Our Advent calendar is filled with those wonderful Dove chocolates. Each evening, after dinner, one of the girls is charged with the task of opening the drawer and inside are 5 wonderful Dove chocolates. Five chocolates, not three -- the number of our children -- but five.

See in years past, the calendar was for the children. But this year, my husband included us parents in the candy countdown to Christmas. So, everyday I have been reading those wonderful messages inside the Dove wrappers.

So when my sister in law called and asked, "What do the girls want for Christmas?" my only response to her was "a playdate." That our children never get to spend enough time together -- and why not have them back and forth for sleep overs during Christmas week.

Later in the day when I mentioned that sleepovers would be exchanged rather than presents, there was a bit of a wail that arose from a certain member of my crew. But a quick and gentle reminder on what this season is really about changed their tune.

We are delighted with the prospect of seeing my nieces repeatedly during the week after Christmas. We are looking forward to the fun and the visiting that will ensue. I am giddy with the thought of the oldest ones, on their own, heading out to dinner and a show. They are adults, where has the time gone? I can't wait to have the littler ones together for games and maybe a movie. And maybe all of us will be able to venture down the Cape to see our aunt and uncle for another overnight. This will be the best Christmas ever. Because spending time together is truly the best gift of all.

(It's beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving...)