Mommy do it!: Christmas Crazy! (it wasn't as crazy as you'd think)

Prepping for Christmas was the most intense it's ever been.
That makes sense.
FIVE kids.
Five.
And even with our minimalist Christmas, that's a lot of presents and people and chaos-potential.
Add to the fact that a 3-generation home means my three siblings also came home for Christmas ... and they are about as excited as any kid on Christmas.
That's a lot of presents and people and chaos-potential.

Fortunately (I was really proud of this), I managed to wrap all 3,284 presents the day before Christmas Eve! Including the stockings.
I know.
Be impressed.

On Christmas morning Del and Noah were the first awake.
I'm not sure the younger three knew that it was ACTUALLY Christmas morning and what that even meant. I doubt Child D. remembers last year (but you never know), this was Child E.'s first Christmas (mixed feelings about this too), and Child F. was not as clear on the day's events as I thought she'd be.

So Del and Noah woke up first and were happy to wait for me to shower (the best Christmas gift!) before opening their stockings. Miracle of miracles - the younger three were STILL asleep after I showered. So Noah and Del went in to Nina and Poobah's room with me to open their stocking. It was so cool to see Noah so excited about underwear (always in a stocking) and socks! And then see Del become equally excited when she realized she received the same.
About the time they were relaxed in to their thankfulness for their stockings, we heard the younger three stir and excitedly rushed them through bathrooming (they STILL didn't notice their stockings) and rushed them back to their room to say: "LOOK! A STOCKING!!" Child F. was quicker at getting in to her stocking and Child D. was quick to relieve Child F. of her candy. With a quick redirection, Child D. discovered her own stocking.
And then it was time to go downstairs.

The children were dutifully impressed.
Child D. could.not.sit.still.
She's 2.5.
Child E. was SO excited about boxes and wrapping paper.
Child F. patiently waited for each gift and then when she opened a present, she made a circle around the room to show everyone up-close-and-personal, what she'd just opened.
Del was thrilled to watch others open the gifts she'd picked out for them.
Noah was pumped about a Garfield Comic Book and was not really interested in opening any other gifts (never mind watching others open their gifts) after he opened that one.

Ren Man received SO MANY pants, it was comical. But this was not unreasonable considering he has one pair of pants without holes - and the hole-y pants he uses for the barn, are more holes than pants.
My sister loved having kids bounce on her lap for part of their present opening ... and she was a little teeny tiny excited about a pair of Toms (I don't get it - whatever makes her happy).
My brother shared his lap with Del.
My other brother was cool-y happy with more books about budding interests (photography being one).

Opening presents took a while - potty breaks were needed (by the grownups) and sugar levels dropped (the grownup sugar levels). We discussed taking a break, but didn't. We got through the gifts and it was so so fun. It was fun to see the kids enjoyment (and sometimes confusion). Everyone was surprised, grateful, full of hope and contentment.