The 12 minutes of Christmas

It started at 11:30pm on Thanksgiving and didn't end until 2:30am on Christmas morning -- 699 hours (yes, I did the math) preparing for 12 minutes of Christmas joy!  Somewhere between "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" and "Oh Holy Night", the days from Thanksgiving to Christmas have become an enormous to-do list: Halls decked with boughs of holly (aka "decorating the house")? Check.
Christmas tree cut down? Check.

 4 new ornaments for each child to hang on the Christmas tree? Check.

 4 new pairs of pj's for the Christmas elves to deliver on Christmas Eve? Check.

Candy Canes bought for "Santa" to put on the tree? Check.
Cookie dough cut out, baked and decorated? Check, check and check.

Teacher gifts wrapped? Check.
Christmas Cards mailed? Check (albeit a bit late this year).

Festive outfits to wear for church and school concerts? Check.

 Christmas shopping done?  Yep, the list was checked once, then twice!

A visit with the man himself? Check.

Ugly Sweater contest won? Check!

Preschool, elementary school and middle school concerts attended? Check.
Christmas Eve church service attended? Check.

Hannah was a lector at the service

Olivia was an "angel" in the Christmas Eve play

Table set for Christmas Eve dinner with the family? Check.

Presents wrapped? Check.
Stockings hung by the chimney with care? Check.

Cookies and Milk set out for Santa? Check.

Last minute notes for the big guy in red? Check.

Presents under the tree? Check.

Presents opened in 12 minutes flat? Check!

 Christmas Joy achieved? Check (for 12 minutes anyway!)

Christmas miracle? Check.

Ready to do it all again next year? Hmmmmm ...