Christmas

Christmas 2009

We love Christmas and I am so glad we decided years a go to host a Christmas Eve open house each year. Hosting keeps me motivated to clean up the regular mess in the house and Christmas somehow seems to have it's rightful importance when we put in the extra effort to prepare. We invite all of my siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and of course my parents and happily most people were able to come. It was a very full house with 19 kids and 18 adults. The kids all know the routine and head to the basement to play when they arrive. Our girls love having everyone over. The kids all come up to eat and of course to open gifts. The kids all trade names for the gift exchange. This year we had them all open the gifts at the same time. It took less time and was lower stress, but I still have no idea which cousin gave which gift to my girls. For a 2nd year we adults participated in a Yankee gift exchange, complete with gag gifts and the stealing of  more appealing ones.

With the party over we relaxed, had a light dinner and then went to Christmas Eve Mass. We got there with no time to spare and discovered a packed parking lot made even worse by the huge snow piles. We drove right out of the parking lot and back home and instead went to a later Mass. Holiday Masses always feel so weird, because despite attending every week we only recognize a handful of people. The rest of the regular 9AM crowd are on their own holiday schedule. It reminds me how big our parish really is. Bridget received a tiny plastic set of the Holy Family for her birthday and spent Mass playing with the figures. The girls were all excited when we came home to open and hang the new Christmas ornaments. Bridget and Megan were very concerned about the cookies and beer for Santa this year. Santa was not disappointed.

Christmas morning was beautiful, each girl was surprised by what they received and happy. We gave modest gifts but there was no disappointment. Rachael had taken the time to make or buy gifts for each of us and reveled in the joy of giving. Emma stitched small things for each sister and gave them with love. We all enjoyed the spirit of the day. At one point Jim and I stood smiling at them, "This is good".

Our kids don't need stuff. It is the sharing of important times and unimportant moments with family and friends that they treasure. After Christmas, Jim and I were discussing our cramped house and both of us are looking forward to a time that we have a space that is more conducive to these gatherings. We are thinking, looking and considering what our living options are. Ideas of maybe renovating this house, maybe moving, and most recently the idea of building a home are in my head. For now it will stay in my head and we'll pray about the right direction to go.