Christmas 2018

I love our Christmas traditions. We spend Christmas Eve day at home and go to evening Mass followed by our boiled codfish dinner at Nana and Pop's. It's a wild and quick night but oh-so-fun.  Plus, who doesn't love getting together with their cousins?

Getting ready for dinner

Boiled cod

Pop's annual Christmas Eve reading of "Christmas Eve at Sea" by John Masefield

After a wild night 

Back at home, 

the countdown to Christmas begins!

We sprinkle oats on the front lawn for Santa's reindeer

and put out cookies and milk for the big man in red.

And then trundle off for bed!

On Christmas morning, we always wait to hear Santa's bells and his jolly "Ho Ho Ho!" and then we know it's time to get up and head downstairs.

This year, we found not one, but two, notes!

This was stuck to the fridge!

Santa assembled the overnight French toast casserole that I hadn't gotten to the night before. It was a new recipe and it was so easy to pop into the oven right away and then have ready and waiting when we all got hungry.

After stockings, it was on to presents.

Gene and the boys love to play D&D, so this year, Gene ordered character figures with all the precise details of each D&D character.  They were a hit!

New D&D dice

Gene also ordered this amazing dungeon master's screen for all their games.

Video gaming

Beer socks

Santa's big gift to us this year was an elephant encounter at the Houston Zoo!

New Bob Ross game -- "The Art of Chill"

Gene got me two beautiful Audubon prints this year. I can't wait to get them framed and displayed in our house. 

After relaxing at home with our new gifts, we headed to Nana and Pop's, arriving just in time for lunch and more present-opening in the afternoon.

Cousin time 

More D&D gifts -- another screen for DM Mikey

And character figures for Mary and Michael, since they all play together.

Gene got this bow tie for Pop when he was in London. It is made from an "escape and evasion" map from World War II.   

More gifts

The Christmas season is so busy and hectic but we really love spending time with family. Here's to a healthy and happy 2019!

Celebrating Lille Juleaften

We have been celebrating Christmas with my parents on December 23rd for years, but last year we relalized that Scandinavians actually celebrate December 23rd as Lille Juleaften, or Little Christmas Eve. We firmly embrace our Scandinavian heritage and enjoy celebrating Lille Juleaften with Gramma and Grampa!

Goofy boys

Still dabbing while waiting to open gifts

Books are the best gifts and Aunt Amber knows us so well! 

Henry was thrilled to get art supplies!

Socks and arm tattoo sleeves from Asia

More books

Cordial cherries for Grampa

And the annual photo book

We ended the evening with dinner and krumkake for dessert and Gramma and Grampa sent us home with German stollens for our holiday breakfasts. We had a delightful Lille Juleaften and it was a perfect way to begin our Christmas celebrations.  

Getting Ready for Christmas

Even though Thanksgiving was early this year and we had over four weeks between holidays, it still seemed like Christmas snuck up on us!  Gene did have 9 days of travel right before Christmas (he got home on the 22nd), I had finals in early December, and the boys and I were in school until the 20th or 21st.  By the time we were all home and not traveling or working or heading to school, it was two days before Christmas, and I think that's why the season felt so busy this year. Here's hoping for a more relaxed holiday season in 2019!

We got our Christmas tree on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Henry chose a smaller tree this year.  It is still plenty tall, but it is narrow and fit our space perfectly.  It was also so lightweight that Gene could carry it himself.

Tree decorating

So helpful

We didn't enjoy quite as many Christmas traditions as we have in the past, but one of our favorites is attending V&E's annual gingerbread party at the Houstonian. It was a delightful as ever this year.

There are so many activities, but we basically go for the delicious brunch and making of gingerbread houses.  

Will's masterpiece

and Henry's

Adding some coconut snow to the top

 A new holiday tradition this year was the Margaret Kinkaid Holiday Concert. This is the seventh grade orchestra performance.

Will plays the viola.

Family photo afterward.

Here are some other holiday traditions:

early morning coffee next to the tree

hours of wrapping gifts

Frosty the Elf

Cookie baking and decorating

Henry's holiday party 

Chestnuts -- we found good ones at Central Market

I hope your holiday season was full of sweet treats and time with the ones you love!