Barney suggests that we cut down on presents next year. I will give him Symphony nuts and he will give me Lyndor chocolates.
Kelly and Rodney made it to St. Joseph at 12:50 but the last of the Kansas contingent didn't arrive until after 6 pm. Visits to Pudgie were made during the interval.
Seven adults and three children created a lively atmosphere and we enjoyed having the young ones to help hand out presents. Riley took his job very seriously, making sure he was delivering gifts to the right people. Best Gift Award goes to Kelly for Barbie dolls to Kaya and Nerf Blasters to Cameron. (Andrew especially enjoyed seeing how far he could fire the Nerf balls.)
I got everything I wanted because I had added my own Wish List to Kelly and Rodney's Amazon account. But I was surprised by the air fryer that wasn't on my list.
After opening presents, we had dinner....the usual...ribs, turkey sliders, ham/cheese buns and various sides. Because of the expanded family this year (Andrew's Misti and her two children), I purchased a card table the day before and set up additional seating.
Kelly, Rodney and I waved good-bye to Andrew, Adam and their families then settled in for some conversation before bedtime. (Kelly and I finished the Irish Creme left over from Christmas 2022.)
Our Christmas traditions continue evolving.
Because the Chiefs would be playing on December 25th, Barney, Dorothy and I celebrated on Christmas Eve day. Some of us can't see to drive very well at night and some of us get sleepy not long after dark, so we held our celebration during the daylight hours.
I arrived at their home a few minutes after 11 am. Dot had fully decorated her house with items she has had for a long time as well as new things. Her holiday decorations included a small tree adorned with her Hallmark Frosty Friends ornaments. Her Frosty Friends collection spans around 30 years. The tree is new.
After unwrapping presents, we had lunch. Barney made chili and cornbread. YUM! We agreed that our new tradition is chili on Christmas Eve day. Marcee joined us via Facetime after lunch so we could unwrap the presents she had sent. Later she confessed that she had already opened all our presents to her. I went home around 4 and soon after was in my pjs, relaxing on my couch, watching Hallmark movies.
Dorothy gave me a new slide show program for Christmas. She said I could quickly make short videos with it. Ummmmm...here is the result of several days (learning curve) and overthinking on my part. Will I use it again? Yes. Will I use other programs? Yes.
I am posting a video made with the new program (SlideShow Studio) and a video made with the old program (ProShow Producer).
Slide show made with new program
Holiday preparations started in early November 2022 with outside lights strung up during the weeks before Thanksgiving. (Decoration takes longer as we get older. *sigh*)
Mid-December events brought a sad end to some celebrations and sister Dot's rehabilitation changed several of our holiday plans, but we adapted by starting some new traditions.....all of which will finish by 5 p.m. or before it gets dark.
Scheduling the Kansas contingent for a December gathering was difficult, as usual, so we ended up with Late'mas in February 2023. Is this becoming a tradition??
Andrew couldn't stay in St. Joseph because of work the next day but Adam, Sarah and Riley spent the night....in the cold, downstairs bedroom. (Note to Adam for next year...blankets are in the closet)
Kelly and Rodney stayed an additional night. The next day, Rodney vacuumed carpets with the Shark cleaner he gave me for Christmas and did some odd jobs that I had requested earlier. Kelly and I didn't do anything constructive. Maybe the Irish Creme we drank the night before affected us ???
We were able to celebrate Christmas in December 2021 on the day after Christmas (Dec. 26th) 2021. Good weather and a Sunday date allowed all to attend. Unfortunately, mom-to-be-soon Sarah didn't feel well so she stayed back in Lawrence.
Snacks were available while we waited for all to arrive. Kelly and Rodney were first, coming in the afternoon so they could visit with Pudgie while in St. Joseph.
We opened presents before the meal so we could take time afterward to enjoy the ribs, turkey in gravy, ham sliders and various sides.
Adam's offer to set up Chromewatch on the living room tv turned into a hilarious debate regarding Apple iPhones vs. Android operating systems. Adam succeeded in the installation, using my iPhone, despite the number of comments regarding how easy the setup is for Android users. We then watched past Christmas videos that I had uploaded to YouTube. (All are available on this blog)
Andrew, Alee, and Adam didn't stay all night but Kelly and Rodney did. The next day, Rodney had a Mom's Day with his mother while Kelly had a Mom's Day with me.
Kelly and Rodney arrived EARLY. I wasn't finished dressing when they called to let me know they were in town. Andrew and Alee soon followed. Adam overslept and decided to come later...much later....like two weeks later.
We had snacks and a buffet meal then Rodney took over the clean-up chores before we opened presents. Later in the evening, Andrew discovered that he had eaten over half of a 12 pack of rolls when fixing his favorite chicken and gravy sandwich.
Around midnight, Andrew and Alee decided to stay all night so we played games. Rodney gave up before we started, but the rest of us stayed up until 2 am. (I was the winner.)
After Andrew and Alee left the next morning, Rodney installed the carbon monoxide detectors they'd given me for Christmas. Then he tested my old batteries and arranged new ones in a plastic tub which was another gift.
The Christmas tree downstairs remained up until Adam was able to celebrate FebMas with me. He took me to dinner at Barbosa's--I hadn't eaten there for over a year--and then we opened presents and chatted. In fact, we chatted so late that Adam decided to spend the night. (He got to sleep in the big folk's bedroom.) Our conversation continued the next day until Adam left around 4 in the afternoon.
Any day can be a holiday when celebrating with family.
With Covid concerns restricting get-togethers, we adjusted our traditional Christmas plans. Rather than attending Christmas Eve church services and opening presents afterwards, we decided to open presents after dinner on Christmas Day.
This may become a new tradition! I especially liked not driving home at night.
