With our Internet down for over a week this is a little
late, but it was ready to post so I will go ahead and share, you can read it
now or next December if you wish.
Baking, shopping, wrapping, and celebrating complete I look back at
many wonderful hours with my husband, children and our family and friends.
Christmas #1
Our Christmas celebration began the Saturday before
Christmas at my husband’s parents. Twenty seven people gathered in one room to
give thanks and then share a delicious meal. After the clean-up was finished grandkids
ages 2-21 spent time laughing and playing together while some gathered around
the table with the adults to play card games or just visit.
Grandpa then announced it was time for the gift exchange.
This was our first year with kids and adults combined in one exchange it seemed
to be a hit. Grandma and Grandpa then
passed out the traditional common gift for all grandkids. This year gum wrapped
with Christmas cash for each of the kids to burn a hole in their pockets. We then
move on to the $10 gift. This exchange is many times a highlight of the evening,
adults and some of the big kids bring a used $10 gift. Not a white elephant from
you house, but something from a garage sale, auction, pawn shop etc... It is
always fun to see what shows up, which gifts are popular, but mostly which are
not. We then start rolling the dice for the highest combination, the winner has
the choice to leave the game with the gift in hand or trade for another and
stay in.
The remainder of the day is spent eating leftovers, playing
games and visiting. With the grandkids getting older this was our first year
without the traditional sleepover or basement camp out. Despite some
disappointment of the younger kids, the day was a success and all had fun even
without the extra overnight hours.
The final Sunday
of Advent
Sunday we celebrated the final Sunday of Advent, the kids
eager to have all 4 candles in the advent wreath lit. We did have to lower the greenery to keep it
from catching fire, but we made it, new candles are a must for next year. After
church the kids went home with Grandma and Grandpa to have Christmas leftovers
and my husband and I went home and started wrapping. Normally we end up doing
it all on Christmas Eve so we appreciated this offer by my in-laws to get some
of that done earlier and the kids enjoyed the extra time with them.
Christmas Eve
Monday, Christmas Eve brought excitement and last minute prep.
We wrapped gifts, made sugar cookies for Santa and cleaned house; because we
all know Santa doesn’t visit messy houses. That evening we dressed up for
Christmas Eve mass, something more enjoyable for the girls than the boys.
Though our second son showed his dimples when he walked in with his Christmas
tie.
The beautifully decorated church and Christmas Carols really
helped the spirit of the season come alive. The older two girls participated in
the procession to lay baby Jesus in his crib and singing before mass. Both
worried they wouldn’t know all the words but I never noticed a single mistake.
The traditional mass, as always was amazing, the story of Jesus’ birth and what
it means to all Christians. Our oldest got to play his trumpet with the choir.
I was proud I don’t know that I have ever enjoyed Joy to the World so much. The
mass concluded with Christmas greetings from other parishioners, we are really blessed
to have a great church family.
That evening Grandparents
visited our house for snacks and a game of Nertz. After saying goodbye to Grandparents and Relf
(our Elf on the shelf) the kids eagerly headed to bed. With children snug in
their beds, or sleeping bags since the kids all like to sleep in one room
Christmas Eve, my husband and I finished the preparations. About 1:00 am the wrapping,
setting out gifts, stuffing stockings, and 5 heavily decorated Santa cookies
were complete. I feel bad throwing cookies away, but normally sick after eating
them. Thank goodness we started on Sunday. It always seems to take a bit of
time, carefully thinking through the placement of the gifts and proper wrapping
paper to keep the mystery of Santa alive for even just one more Christmas morning.
In the end I always love to just look at the tree for a few minutes before heading
to bed with probably as much excitement as the kids.
Christmas Morning!
We were awoken by 5 smiling faces, well 4 smiling faces and
one half awake 2 year old. They all know the routine and play along with
disappointed groans as my husband says, let’s all just snuggle a little bit
first. All seven of us cover our queen
size bed, which is a little more challenging every year, I think they like the
moments together as much as we do. After
a prayer and a Happy Birthday song to Jesus, upon request of our 6 year old, a
phone call to Grandma and Grandpa to say we were up, and a few anxious moments
in the hallway while Dad started the video camera the kids entered the living
room with excitement.
The stockings were emptied first and what a nice surprise
that the kids were more eager to hand out the gifts they had for each other and
us before opening themselves. They quickly cracked “the gift code” a tradition
we started a few years ago. Instead of putting the kid’s names on our gifts for
them we come up with a code for each, so they can’t tell whose gift was who’s
until the figure out the pattern. It could be the wrapping paper, a sticker, or
the color of writing. They kids think it’s fun. The pace then quickens, and
before you know it the room is filled with wrapping paper and smiles.
The rest of the day was spent building Legos, eating, and playing.
Some never even got out of their pajamas. I enjoy this most about Christmas,
the feeling of not having to go anywhere and just being together.
Christmas #3
Christmas morning was not the end of Christmas for our
family. Wednesday was spent wrapping, cleaning, packing, and loading the van
for our trip to Colorado for Christmas with my family. With my husband only
having to work half a day we were able to start our trek early afternoon.
Christmas was planned for Friday evening so Thursday was
spent settling in and visiting. I don’t know who it was harder for the kids or
my Mom to wait for the celebration. My sister, who doesn’t like keeping who you
have in the gift exchange a secret spent the day trying to pick up on clues of
who had who so she could figure it out before the exchange.
Friday we had our final family Christmas of 2012. Beginning
with another yummy meal and then kids eagerly waiting for their uncle, my
little brother, to get off of work so they could dive into the presents. When
he arrived they all yelled Santa Claus is here as he walked in with his gifts.
After one of my mom famous photo sessions, which despite our complaints we are
always thankful for later, the gifting began.
We still buy for all the kids on
my side, so we take turns each family handing out their gifts and watching them
be opened. The final gifts for the kids from Nanna and Grandpa. Despite the
attempt at organization with 13 grandkids age 13 down to 1yr it still gets a
little crazy, but fun.
After the kids the older girls (my sisters and brothers
girlfriend) have our gift exchange. Yes my sister guesses were right again. My
parents then get out their envelopes. A few years ago instead of buying gifts they
started putting cash in envelopes with one holding an extra dollar and one
holding 2-3 times the amount of the rest. We randomly select the envelopes and
play a game to see who gets which one. The Right family game was used this year.
At the end everyone quickly opens to see who has the “winning” envelope and if you
had it to start. This has been a fun tradition, for the givers and the
receivers. The big boys (our husbands and my brother) then do their gift
exchange. Normally a themed event, starting with the inaugural year of paintball
gear (my dad included). Years followed by craigslist gifts and many other creative
ideas. The last few years they played poker to decide the order of selection. The
process seems to be more fun to them than the gifts.
At the end of Friday night our celebrations came to an end. Though it is sad for to conclude the magical
season you always hold on to the memories.
I’ll likely spend the week enjoying the Christmas decorations for a bit
longer, if our tree lasts, as they will stay up until the Epiphany of the Lord
celebration at Church, Jan 6 http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/holidays/epiphany.htm. On Jan 6 the kids will finally take out their 3 Wise Men in their managers. Then as we
begin the clean up the excitement of the start of a fresh new year begins.
I hope
this Christmas season brought your families joy, time together, and a chance
for your relationships on earth and with God to grow. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year now :)
The value of consistent prayer is not that God will hear
us, but that we will hear God.”
