Christmas 2017

 Christmas 2017

  We celebrate the birth of our Savior. We celebrate with our traditions, music and food and we we do it all with the joy of being loved by so many and loving so many in return.

We hosted Christmas Eve, with lots of food and drink and gathering together. We exchanged gifts in our living room. The under 13 cousins did a gift exchange and we started with the youngest (Ellie) receiving her gift, and then she gave her gift to the next and it continued through the group.  They love to receive but some years the joy of giving is what permeates the room. This year we shifted the gift exchange just a little for the teenagers. They had been in the basement attempting to arrange a game of D&D or Lizards & Cave Dwellings as they called it, and usually they do their exchange downstairs as well. We asked them to come up this year and it was fun to see them laugh through the yankee gift exchange together. Then the adults took our turn, with some odd and hysterical gifts including a bowling pin and the presidency of the Will Jauquet Fan Club as well as fandom and practical gifts.

We went to 6 PM Mass at St. Marks with Will and Heather's family and Steven, and got seats near the front. This year we had to try not to laugh at the altar server sound asleep and in risk of falling out of his chair during the homily. 

After Mass we got back home, took a few family photos, snacked on remaining party food, feed the reindeer and began to wind down. Then we gathered around the tree to open our gifts from Colorado and our ornaments. The girls immediately changed into the new pajamas and we all hung out on the floor in front of the tree. I know that this tradition is one that will change as they grow up and move out and start families of their own and I am savoring these events because at some point it will be the last one together and I won't know it while it is happening.

Christmas morning the girls all climbed onto our bed as always and I had the thought "can this bed continue to hold us all". It did and we played the Christmas alphabet game and sang Christmas Carols before heading into the living room. As the girls have gotten older their excitement for gifts has waned, but the joy of being together on the floor is still strong. Even as little as Hanna is, the focus is rarely on presents. I guess since most of the family doesn't emphasize it she hasn't put that as the center of the holiday. But of course there are gifts and there is fun in opening presents and surprises and joy, and sometimes disappointment in getting something underwhelming.

Later that day we headed over to my Dad's for a relaxed hangout and Christmas Dinner. Every year when we gather to say grace, my Dad leads a responsorial psalm or song in addition to blessing our meal and time together. This year my Dad  again pulled out a song to the tune of "Jingle Bells" with the words "Dashing through the snow with Jesus on my mind... Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Praise his holy name." It makes the teenagers laugh but they participated well.  It is these silly memories that stick with you and I am so glad they are making these memories together.

We are so blessed to get to be together and to have the peace to be able to practice our faith.

Merry Christmas!