christmas.day
The big day has come and gone. The wonder and excitement on the kids faces, the warmth of family conversation, and a good meal help to put a stamp on every Christmas season.
Sometimes, when the day is done, a wave of sadness hits knowing that one more year has passed, one more Christmas for our little babies, one less Christmas with the being so little. I know as New Years approaches many people take time to reflect on the year and what lies ahead, and it is natural to feel a yearning for time past, for time to slow down. Those feelings hit me hard this year, with knowing Natalie will be 10 (10!) already next year and her single digit Christmas days are in the rear-view mirror. But then I look at the excitement our 6, 4, and 2 year old have, and know that there will be many, many more special Christmas memories, and while they may be different as they grow, they will still be cherished and beautiful.
Santa was very generous this year, but with 4 little ones, we were pretty happy that our house wasn’t completed overloaded with presents. The girls got a new Barbie House, lots of new Barbies, American Girl dolls, sand art, and lots of fun games to play. Cameron saw his day filled with excavators, big and small, a new red tractor to ride on, and lots of rough and tumble toys to play with.
We always do an aromatic breakfast of uncured bacon, scrambled eggs, orange juice, and some form of bread (this year we had Pillsbury Crescents) after all the presents have been unwrapped. Tom has had that tradition since he was young, as have I, and it is amazing how smells can trigger your memory – to this day, the smell of bacon & eggs reminds him of Christmas morning.
Since the kids were little, we have hosted our family at our house, so upwards of 20 people or more can show up. This year, the gathering was a bit smaller, but still north of 12. We had two hams which went in the oven shortly after breakfast and slow cooked for about 4 hours, just in time for a 3:30 dinner call. We also made 10 pounds of mashed potatoes, 12 pounds of green beans, and 10 pounds of corn. Needless to say, there was plenty of food, and plenty of leftovers to send home with everyone.
Another fun tradition we do in our extended family gathering is “now you have it, now you don’t,” or some variation thereof, to add some fun to the evening. This year, we did a pass the potato style, with everyone passing their gift until the music stopped. At the end, everyone had a shot to trade their gift with someone else prior to unwrapping. It was a lot of fun, and made for some great memories.
As we close out 2021, and say goodbye to another wonderful Christmas season, my wish for you is that you have many memories of Christmas, and many blessings for a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!
jess.
