Like in years past had many Christmas celebrations. As the kids get older these celebrations are more and more fun. In the early years there is so much tending to your child it can be a bit stressful, but as they get older and more independent the going and going is pretty fun. And seeing them play with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents is such a gift. To have so many people loving each other is so amazing.
We always kick off the year with my dad's big Christmas. I got to host it again this year, which I love. We did our annual Christmas play and caroling, dirty santa, and the little kids had a book exchange. My cousin Janet made every family a huge stocking. A few people braved the cold cold day and played a little basketball.
The next day we go over to my dad's for some fun. There are always contests, four square, ping pong, best poem, best sugar cookie. This year I rearranged the Christmas play my grandpa wrote for us to do at my dad's house. This is one tradition I don't want to let go of, so I am keeping it going. I hope one of my girls will continue it too. We play dirty santa and the little girls open a gift, but the most fun is the stockings. Always random, but so much fun. This year our big gift was the Amazon echo. My girls are already bossing that thing around, playing kidz bop constantly.
On the 23rd we spent the night at my mom's house. Our tradition is to spend the night and wake up for a big breakfast and present opening. We usually play a game the night before or help wrap presents and the girls get their cooking on in the kitchen. The girls and Mason have a blast playing together for several straight hours. So much fun to just be together.
On Christmas Eve we start our tradition with our little family and Tim's. It kicks off with the children's Christmas Eve service at our church. Then We go back to our house for pizza. We spend the evening with Tim's parents and brother, making Santa cookies and watching a Christmas movie. The next morning the kids wake up super early and we open our little family gifts. Tim's parents love to watch their little faces. After they open their gifts we have breakfast and laze around until Tim's nieces arrive. Then we open presents with them and eat lunch. The rest of the day is spent just hanging out.
Finally, we have one more day of fun. The day after Christmas we went to my mom's mom. The girls always receive gifts from the my aunts and uncles and my grandma likes to spoil them as well. The adults go back and forth between dirty santa and just playing games. This year it was games and boy it was fun. We played the game where you wrap a gift several times and go around in a circle unwrapping it with oven mitts. There was money all through out the unwrapping and it got pretty wild. I think I got a good workout in that day. This is the celebration that I just enjoyed and didn't take tons of pictures. Sometimes it is nice to just put down the camera and enjoy. I did make everyone do a posed picture though.
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