Christmas, Part 2

After reading and acting out the Christmas story, it was time to open gifts.  The kids had waited so patiently as we didn't open until January 1.

We begin with opening stockings.  Our fireplace isn't big enough to hang 14 stockings so I string them all along the stairs on the banister.  I love filling them!  Every year each stocking has a chocolate Santa and everyone gets some new socks and lots of other goodies.

 

When I was a young child, my mother sewed a Santa suit for my Dad.  I can still remember my parents telling us not to peek into the living room - but we did and saw my Mom kissing Santa!

Dad has played Santa for years.  Here he came to our boarding school (in Miyakonojo, Japan) for the Christmas program.  I can still remember that day.  My parents had told me that Santa was just for fun and not real.  We knew the story of Saint Nick.  But when I saw him come to our school, I thought, "Santa is real!"  But then when he got close to me, I saw the twinkle in his eye and realized it was my Daddy!  When they retired and moved to North Newton, he was Santa at Kidron for many years.

Then Mom gave us his suit and Al began to dress up for the grandchildren.  Last year, the suit was coming apart and Al said that was probably the end of that.  But the kids gave Al this suit as his gift  for this year so he could still be Santa!

 The kids loved it!!  Some years they have been sort of afraid of him, but this year, they ran into his arms!

 Love this coffee maker for the shower!  Your own barista in the shower!  (actually just a funny box that had something else inside).  But a perfect box for our coffee lover!

Al and I got eachother gifts that we can take on our trip to Israel.  I got him 2 pair of these though.  I will NOT let him just wear 1 pair of undies the entire trip!!  Ha ha!

Several family members got KU shirts.

 I LOVE this necklace!!  All our grandchildren's names!

What fun it was to bless each person with special gifts!  What a gift our family is to us!

Christmas, Part 1

We celebrated our family Christmas on New Years' Day.  It was a beautiful white Christmas!

 The day before it had snowed and the kids loved going outside in it!

On "Christmas" Day, while we prepared dinner, the kids played with their new Wii they got from their uncle.

Happy little Claire.

We began our celebration with acting out the true Christmas story.

 Mary and Joseph

 Riding the donkey to Bethlehem

 A sweet little sheep

"Unto you has been born a Saviour.....Glory to God in the Highest!"

The wisemen see the star!

Where is He who has been born?

An angel appears to the wisemen and warns them not to return to Herod.

Christmas - to be continued....

Family

I love our family!  While we couldn't be together for Christmas (son is worship pastor and had to be at his church in Arkansas and daughter worked at the hospital that day), everyone was able to get together the week after Christmas.

The cousins were so excited to see eachother!

We played lots of games and of course the kids had to "tie up Papa", one of their favorite things to do!  He always escapes and a chase ensues!

One day, while watching a video, Aunt Mindy and Eli both fell asleep. 

The children love to listen to stories.

We had a wonderful week including a wedding and our Christmas celebration.  More posts to follow.

Our Christmas Day

Christmas Day was a wonderfully, peaceful day for us.  In the morning, I turned on the tv while beginning preparations for our evening dinner and found that 

PBS was having musical specials - some jazz, Appalachian, classical, strings, choral groups, church and college Christmas programs....all day long there was program after program of music proclaiming the birth of our Saviour.  Just beautiful!!  Very relaxing and joyful.
 

The weathermen kept saying we would have a white Christmas, but it didn't happen.  This photo is from a few days ago and we did have just a little snow left where the sun doesn't reach.  (Before the song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" was written, it probably never occured to wish for a white Christmas, would it have?")  But it would have been lovely!

For dinner, the family came.  Mom made this fancy Christmas gelatin.  She is so creative!  Also fixed a pot roast and twice baked potatoes (Thank you, Marilyn R. for the recipe from allrecipes.com!)

Adam stayed home.  His turn to be sick.  Luckily, he was able to give the Christmas Eve service!  Now he does not have a voice.  We have been fighting bad colds or flus for the past couple of weeks.  I had a fever for 6 days and am so glad that is over!

I got out my china that I registered for when we got married.  I haven't used them in so long.  But thought it would be fun.  The girls said it was fancy!  (don't you think the BBQ bottle adds such flair?)

We weren't exchanging gifts this day since our son's family and youngest daughter could not come - just having a wonderful dinner, celebrating the birth of Christ with Jill's family and my parents.  We sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus when we had our little cake desserts.


It was Claire's first Christmas.  She has not been well either (can you tell with her little red eyes?)  So far Al has been able to keep healthy and we hope he continues!

We will be having Christmas celebrations this coming week when the whole family travels back home!

"Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go!"