Christmas 2011

Another Christmas is in the memory book (lately the blog has been the memory book, of sorts).  Our family tradition for the last many years has been to have Christmas breakfast together.  The family gathers in pjs (even the married kids who have to drive over....except Cowboy who has to be fully dressed at 0 dawn : 30... ).  After sleepily greeting each other, we all sit in the living room and ready ourselves for the gift frenzy.  This year 5 year old Angel A changed things up.   She ordered us all to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus...which we did, quite happily.  I know!....how cute is that?

Then the gifts!!  You know how in some families the gift-giving is quite orderly and polite?  One person is usually appointed to play "Santa" and passes the gifts to their recipients.  One gift is opened while everyone watches.  The grateful, mannerly recipient carefully and neatly unwraps her gift, utters an exclamation of joy and surprise, and then thanks the giver with heart-felt gratitude, "Oh, it's lovely, how did you know?  Where did you find this treasure?  Thank you soooo much.  I've always wanted one of these."  Then on to the next recipient...and so on.

If that's the protocol at your house, I commend you.  That seems to be the most mannerly way.  At our house, though......Chaos!!  Everyone is "Santa" ...each person's gifts get piled around him.  This year the little room was full!!!  Deputy and Honey sat on the couch with Baby E and Angel A, Peach and Boy Wonder sat on the bench in front of the window, Princess and Prince Charming (the "suitor") sat on the ottoman...(young love magically allows two grown people to fit on one little footstool), Cowboy and I sat in our respective thrones.  Gifts were ~everywhere~.  The sounds:  shredding paper, shrieks and groans, laughter and thank-yous, and whining from the dogs who were relegated to the back porch.  Each year I'm amazed that it takes mere minutes to undo what it took a month to put together.  And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Then the breakfast....pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, orange juice and lots and lots of coffee.  Christmas is an important occasion ..... Christmas china, silver and crystal on our table!  Relaxation and happy conversation ensued.   As we adults all ate our fill, the little ones played with their new toys.  Our little farmhouse was humming joyfully as our growing family celebrated Christ's birth.  And then it was over just as quickly as it began.  The kids all had to leave....they had other family celebrations to attend.  

And it usually takes me a day and a half to get things back in order....this year it will take 2 days...I don't know why.  

Joy to the World