Christmas Day

I'm sitting here at the computer eating chocolate covered potato chips, gummy worms, and leftover Christmas day punch. The rest of my family (minus my buddy Stuart) have gone on a family thrift store shopping day, and I've finally finished editing and uploading all the pictures taken in the last 24 hours. There's quite alot of them, so grab your own bag of chocolate covered potato chips and enjoy the show! Presenting...

Christmas Day Extravaganza 2011!

Our Christmas day is a day steeped with tradition, which is just how we like it. We begin our day the night before, on Christmas Eve. We each have a home-made stocking made by Mom that we each hang around our living room somewhere. Me being the creature of habit that I am, I have my stocking on the exact same cubbard peg every year. =) Soon after that, we go to bed.

And thus begins...Operation Present Dump. We don't put our presents out as we buy and wrap them, no nothing ordinary like that for us! Each person, under cover of darkness, will sneak out into the living room sometime during the night and quietly deposit the goods under the tree...so that in the morning, when we all rendezvous in the living room, the underbelly of our tree has been turned into a rapturous delight of wrapping paper, bows, and surprises waiting to happen. =)

After we all gather on Christmas morning, Dad reads the Christmas story, followed by us all going to our knees in a time of prayer and thanksgiving for all the Lord had done - the greatest being His sacrificial birth, death, and resurrection.

And then....stockings!

The bottles on the ground are a special kind of ginger ale that we like....nothing alcoholic about it. =)

Yes, Scott has a scotty-dog on his stocking...

This year as one of my stocking stuffers, I made cake pops. Quite the success, I might add.

After stockings are done, we begin the brunch preparation.

Karis apprenticing under Mom to learn how to make our Christmas brunch Cherry Crescent Ring. Hmmm.

The Cherry Crescent Ring itself. You've never fully known Christmas morning until you've tasted a slice of this magic.

Cranberry sausage, eggs (specially cooked), strawberries, cherry crescent ring.

A new visitor to the manger. =)

This beautiful wood nativity scene is one of the main centerpieces of our whole Christmas itself. Given to my mom from my aunt in the navy, it somehow captures the beauty and simplicity of Christmas.

Seth and Dad spent alot of the day Ham radioing, the new hobby. After brunch, we went and visited my grandmother for a little while. Then came home and after some rest and relaxation...we began dinner prep. And once again...you've never tasted Christmas dinner until you've had our Christmas Dinner meal....we go Mexican. =)

White Cream Sauce Enchiladas that will slay your stomach with it's absolute goodness, tamales, queso fresco cheese, a strawberry salad and cranberry punch bubbly.

My house is magic after dark. These picture are not edited to create this color and glow. This is what our home looks like on Christmas night. It's my favorite night of the entire year. I love it so much, I usually tear up each year over it's beauty and loveliness.

Somebody funny added the giraffes and zebra to the worshipping beast...

After our delicious candlelit dinner....

Presents! Yes, we open presents after dinner, another tradition that we love.

Seth is our music prodigy of the family - playing the banjo and guitar. And he's good. Really good.

My present to Ryn was four LM Montgomery books. I think we were both excited. =)

Mom has a fetish for vintage hats. I was so happy when I found this book for her.

Karis also has extreme talent on the piano.

Katheryn bought me an adorable mini orange colander...something that I wanted. =)

Our Aunt Peppy sent us all gifts (yes, Katheryn and I plan to hit the tennis courts!)

And with that, ended the official organized activities of our Christmas  Day. It was one of the BEST Christmases ever. I love my family. They mean everything to me. Even this morning, I have so many times thanked God for my family and all that we have together. We are SO blessed.

Happy Day After Christmas!