We eat brunch first and then it is present time. Last year we started a tradition. Each member of the family buys a gift. We use the same wrapping paper so all the gifts look similar. There are eleven of us, so we stack up eleven gifts.
We start with the youngest person which happens to be Ewan. He chooses a gift and opens it. Next was Jack. He chooses a gift and opens it and it continues down the line. When all the gifts are open, we get a chance to steal. This round we start with the oldest which is grandpa. He chose to keep his gift which was wireless earphones, and he hoped no one would steal it. This was a perfect gift for him because he spends a lot of time listening to books and won't have to plug his ipod into the earphone jack. Next was myself. I stole the gift our grandson Sam had opened. It was a Steamer/Frother pot. The good part is the two youngest were last, and they were able to steal the gift they wanted most so there were no sad faces. Also, the secret is to buy a gift for yourself and if you're lucky (which I was) you can end up with it.
Next we got to open the Santa stockings. Santa got a little mixed up this year with favorite candy and leaving prices on things, but hopefully that went unnoticed. I got the "look" from my daughters a couple times when I forgot that Christmas stockings didn't need to have disclaimers. I was reminded that Santa filled the stockings and not me. I am famous for disclaiming anything I cook or do. I want everyone to be happy. Unlike today's generation who get a trophy for just showing up, I was taught to be responsible for my failures. Although sometimes I should just shut up.
After the stockings, we exchanged the kids and family gifts. I love it when the gifts are ripped open or in my case they open the drawstring on the fabric bag. http://www.thecabincountess.com/2013/12/making-fabric-gift-bags.html
What a mess we make, but that is what our Christmas is about. I am reminded of a Christmas we spent in Arizona when the girls were small. My husband's step father was such a control freak, he picked up every piece of wrapping paper immediately after the present was open. It took all the fun out of it. Messes can always be cleaned up later.
Melissa is 16 years old, and I didn't think she would be interested in them. The boys were enjoying them so I asked if she would like my spare pair. Surprisingly she said yes. I brought them out. Hopefully she won't read this blog because she did not want her picture taken. Hopefully in a few years she will appreciate this moment being documented or she will never let me forget it.
Some of the exchange gifts were games. Sarah, Heather, Dylan, Sam and Jack played a game called Telestrations. It is based on the telephone game only sketched out. They laughed so hard. I love it when there is a lot of laughter in the house.
Then they went outside. The kids played in the snow and my daughter and her husband went snowshoeing. The snow was really wet and heavy.
It is a good thing Christmas was yesterday because today it is sunny and the temperature is well above freezing. It is in the middle 40's and the snow is melting quickly. This is the same scene today. The ice is covered with a layer of water.
It was a great day and a happy Christmas. I only wish everyone could be so fortunate. While snowshoeing our daughter saw two eagles flying over the marsh. We think it was Grandma and Grandpa Dux wishing us a Merry Christmas.
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