Christmas 2011

Several years ago when Mom and Dad wanted to go to a Christmas Eve service and we did not, we decided to stay home and put our presents out while they were gone. It was such fun that we unoffically decided to make it a yearly tradition.

Eric and the boys played Chess.

The back of the couch is the only place we can fit our stockings. I didn't get a Christmas morning picture of them like I usually do. They were much fuller.

Christmas Eve after we brought down our presents:

As our unoffical tradition of several years, having cinnamon rolls for breakfast, wasn't done, Christmas morning Melody and I decided to make Cinnamon Swirl bread. (We do have traditions, but mostly they are not official.)

However, it finished baking right around the time we needed to leave for church, so we ate it when we got back and had a late afternoon dinner after presents. It was good, evidenced by the fact that the four loaves we made were all gone before the end of the day, and that Dad told me, basically, "You can feel free to make that again."

I think everyone enjoyed Christmas being on Sunday. It was good to see people and sing on Christmas morning. I don't think I'd mind if we did that every year.

Dad read the Christmas story and then we opened presents.

 

Kristen's reactions were the most fun:

They took the camera as they sometimes do:

The wrapping is something Dad always does, one for each of us. It's fun to see what he'll do.

Someone was super excited about her present from Deanna, The Road to Memphis, the last book in the Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry series:

This someone spent much spare time on Christmas and the next day rereading it. Nothing got a bigger grin!

If something did, it was this:

Kristen was very happy with her pink mitt. "I never had one before!"

I made Kristen a hat, and she liked it as I knew she would. "What are you making, Jeannette? Who is it for? Is it for me? I want one." Unfortunately, though it turned out much better than previous attempts (my hats for the boys several years ago are...embarassingly bad), it's too big.

Our gift to Dad; more about that later.

Three of my favorite presents, two Ludy books and NKJV audio Bible.

Another favorite, a small alphabet stamp set. Melody got a smaller, small case one.

We found a Raggedy Ann doll for Kristen.

The boys (Tim and Paul) made everyone ornaments. They were excited, and our tree is quite full of them.

 Kristen's hat (as you can see, it fits Deanna better than Kristen).

After cleaning up and enjoying presents, we played games. Uno Roboto, the latest Uno game, was a great success and our favorite Uno game. We took turns as only six can play at once. We also tried out Melody's new game from her birthday, Sour Apples to Apples, which in my opinion is better than the regular Apples to Apples.

The day ended with Euchre, unsurprisingly. On Monday, we went to Aunt T's, to which I sadly forgot to bring my camera. It was a wonderful extention of Christmas with lots of good food and fun games, especially Uno Roboto-if you know my mom and aunt, you know that a game in which you record your names in a robot voice was fun!

I decided that day should have a name. There's Christmas, and Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve, if you're in my family, and I heard there's Christmas Adam, the day before Christmas Eve. In that case, you could have Christmas Adam Eve, which would be Melody's birthday, the 22nd. I like that. Christmas Adam Eve Eve gets you to the 21st more easily thatn Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve. Anyhoo...shouldn't the day after Christmas be recognized? Christmas Post or something?

Which reminds me of the names we were using for Uno Roboto. I started one of many rounds with, "The Ghost of Christmas Past." Now, you cannot understand the humor of this if you do not imagine being already in an amused mood and your voice being changed, as my aunt said, three octaves higher than what you said, and hurrying to say something as long as "The Ghost of Christmas Past," before the recording stops. Knowing my grandma helps too.

So, my aunt says her name, fast and low: "The Ghost of Christmas Present." Funny, but you'd have to hear it or be able to imagine how she'd say it. Then, when it comes to my grandma, what comes out of her mouth? "The Ghost of Christmas Future," you say?

 Nope.

"The Ghost of Christmas Intermediate."

We all burst into laughter. "You'll never read The Christmas Carol the same way again," my aunt said. "You'll keep wondering, 'When does the Ghost of Christmas Intermediate come on the scene?'"

Okay...if you know my aunt T, you understand...I want to say, "Moving along..."

I hope your Christmas was wonderful. You probably didn't laugh about going to the hospital for hoarse throats...or many other things that we did...or spend four hours opening presents or name fish (more on that later), but I hope yours was wonderful in its own unusual way, and that you're still in the Christmas spirit.

Intermediate Spirit. Just kidding.

Merry Christmas...past... :-)