Griffin's First Christmas!

Take one look at our house, and you'll agree that Santa Claus came to town!  His first visit to the Tramel household was everything I had imagined and then some.  Without a doubt, our first Christmas with Griffin was a blast...and it's definitely more fun being Santa than getting gifts from Santa!

We started with a Christmas Eve breakfast at Cracker Barrel, decked out in PJ's, and our little Sock Monkey stole the show...and won the hearts of all the servers who walked by our table!  Griffin had a big time sitting in the high chair and playing with his toys and kid menus on the table.

After filling up on pancakes, we went home to start working on some gingerbread cookies for Santa.  Once they came out of the oven, we stripped Griffin down to his diaper and turned him loose with a  big tube of green icing!  He wasn't exactly sure what to do with it, but they turned out cute anyway!

Later that night, Daddy played in the Christmas Eve service at church, and Griffin and I went to watch and listen to the message from Pastor Andrew.

When church was over, we rushed home to eat dinner and get ready to open presents!  We were so excited to watch Griffin open the gifts we bought him...but I think he had more fun playing with the paper they were wrapped in!  He loved the blocks we bought him!  Their bright colors and fun sounds kept his attention longer than any other toy he opened.

 After everything was opened, Griffin sat down with Daddy on the couch and read The Night Before Christmas.  He loves turning the pages in his books, so he helped turn as Daddy read.

Before we tucked him in bed, we sat out the cookies he made for Santa under the tree.

Christmas morning couldn't come soon enough!  I couldn't wait for Griffin to wake up so we could take him in the living room and show him the presents from Santa Claus! One of our favorites was a sweet golf toy that gives a round of applause when he puts the ball in the hole!

Griffin's first Christmas has been full of fun, new traditions...and we've had so much fun visiting with family and watching him smile and enjoy his gifts.  I look forward to sharing the true meaning of Christmas with him as he gets older! :)  Merry Christmas!