Mine was/is lovely. It’s still Christmas in my mind, though, I know that technically it was just yesterday in our culture. We will not be celebrating the full 12 days of Christmas, but for today, Boxing Day, for me and my family, this day is JUST as special. We won’t leave the house today. Most of us won’t even get dressed. I put a venison roast (I should write about how that came to be, I guess) in the oven since it wouldn’t fit in the Crock Pot, but it’s been cooking since 10:00 at 225 degrees. We’ve been picking at leftover desserts brought home from yesterday’s feast and candy from the stockings. My husband and I drank coffee until it was time to switch to beer and wine respectively and we’re just hanging out. The big kids are working on LEGO kids that Santa brought, and the little one is enthralled with a new video game. I LOVE Boxing Day.
Yesterday was so different, but just as lovely. The kids got up early and our house is much the same as any other house with kids on Christmas morning. Then we dressed and headed to my parent’s house for more Christmas gift exchanging. This year we were one more since it’s the first year my brother’s girlfriend has joined us. We really like her and hope she’ll be around for many more Christmases. The kids were impatient and whiny and overtired, but it was lovely. Then Mom and I whirled around making food and cleaning up before the huge extended family descended on us. It’s loud and chaotic and a bit crazy, but wonderful. My sweet introverted husband is such a good sport about adapting to our loud-mouthed, matriarchal group. It was a wonderful day. I could tell you more, but I’ll just leave you with some pictures of the wonderful people I love so much. Feel free to ignore them, but I felt I should show them to you. This is our Christmas.
My brother and his lovely girlfriend.
My aunt and her sons
My mom and her great nephew
My cousin and our grandpa
My handsome Grandpa, lookin’ good!
Our elders, Grandpa and his sister, my great aunt
Grandpa and our youngest family member, his great great grandson
Mom taking a breather
Two of my gorgeous cousins
My brother teaching Middle Bird to play chess on the glass chess set he got him for Christmas
Two of my pretty cousins taking a selfie
My cousin and his girlfriend who he should just go ahead and pop the question to already!
My Grandpa and another of his great grandchildren, who happens to be mama to that sweet baby.
Sweet smilie boy
My and my baby
My parents and my kids
My mom and my lovely aunts
My grandpa and a bunch of his great grands
This Bird Does It 