'Tis the Season for ... Parties and Pageants

This past Sunday morning up we got and off we went in our finery to Chris' work's Kids Christmas Party in Toronto. They do a breakfast party. Santa is there , naturally along with balloon people who make great things out of balloons ( that always pop in the car on the way home ), magic acts, popcorn, cotton candy and yes PRESENTS. They do an awesome job and its well organized. The girls were really into the entire event this year. Although Chris tried to convince them we should take the presents home to put under the tree, he did not prevail. Carolina got an awesome Little Ponyville with a roller coaster, merry go round and a ferris wheel. Rosalind loved it. Rosalind got a Moxie Girl makeup and hair kit. Carolina adored it. And guess what, they traded !! We came rolling home with three balloon critters per child , 2 regular balloons each , full tummies and great presents !! A wonderful morning - and the day was bright and sunny, and the roads were empty - can you ask for anything more !!!

Later that day, after dinner, we headed out to Bethany Evangelical Church for their annual outdoor Nativity pageant complete with live animals. They have a camel, horses, a donkey, sheep, and chickens. They do three shows a night for three nights. The little plays just run for 20 minutes and are incredibly popular. People arrive for one show as the previous show is ending !!! This year was their 14th year. They do the plays in their parking lot and have sets for Rome, Bethleham, the stable and the fields where the shepherds watched their flocks by night. The cast of charactors is quite extensive - Roman soldiers on horseback, foot soldiers, townsfolk ( Bethleham ), a great many shepherds, the requisite three kings,Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus as well as an entire heavenly host of course. It was a rather cold night but by the time you are huddled in with the masses of people, you do stay quite warm... the downside was that I could take pictures as people were arriving but once it got crowded there was no room to even get my camera out of my pocket !! Then afterwards we walked home - or mostly home, Chris picked us up when we were almost there . A great day all in all !!!