Christmas - 2013

Mom's sister and brother-in-law came for Christmas from a few states away. They both have health problems and don't get to make the trip over very much, so it's a treat to have them. The Grandparents aren't really able to travel, and my family won't leave them by themselves, so we don't get to make the trip over to see this uncle and aunt very much either.

Last night we had a relaxing little Christmas Eve 'party', eating goodies, watching a Christmas movie, and just enjoying all being together.

Christmas morning started nice and slow, and pretty much stayed that way all day. I rode from our house up to The Grandparents' on my bicycle, and the cold Christmas morning was just about perfect. The frost on the hood of my uncle and aunt's van glittered like magic in the morning sun - this photo does nothing as far as doing it justice.

This year, our family (Dad, Mom, Trissy, and me) agreed to not buy each other presents, but instead use the money we'd planned to spend, to help purchase gifts for impoverished and vulnerable people through Samaritans Purse's Gift Catalog. We were all so glad that we did it that way! As it was, we still gave gifts to The Grandparents and Mom's sister and brother-in-law, and they to us. But they were simple, small, and/or meaningful things, and the 'commercial' side of Christmas has happily been awarded an even-tinier-than-usual place in our celebrations of the season.
All in all, it was a very nice Christmas. Different, but nice.

 

Christmas lasts for days at our house. Especially if we have guests/family over. My uncle and aunt are planning to stay until New Year's morning, and school is out for two weeks. So just work at the restaurant a few days a week for me, and work with the surveying company a few days a week for Dad. Otherwise, we've been enjoying each other's company, working puzzles, reading, listening to Christmas stories, eating [too many] goodies, and generally trying to not waste our little 'vacation'.