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.
Although we had planned to have Christmas 2019 in January 2020, scheduling conflicts pushed the celebration into February. The downstairs tree was already decorated in red and white, so creating a Valentine's theme was easily done by adding a paper heart and white roses to the December centerpiece on the dining room table.
Kelly and Rodney arrived around 4 in the afternoon, a little earlier than I had expected. Andrew and Alee came a few hours later. We snacked on celery (Alee's choice), chips, spinach and cheese dips and creme cheese topped with jalapeno jelly while waiting for Adam and Sarah.
I asked Rodney to be the official photographer and handed over my camera. Unfortunately, I hadn't used it for a long time and couldn't remember how to set it for still photos instead of video. Not a problem though and Rodney took video until the 4 gig card was full. Then we switched to our phones and captured more video and pictures.
After we opened presents, I read the notes from Andrew, Alee and Adam about the charities they had chosen this year. Their choices were deeply personal and sparked discussion and reflection.
Supper followed presents. Meat choices were pulled pork and turkey and gravy on buns (Andrew's favorite) and hot ham sliders. (The left-over ham sliders went home with Sarah.) Side dishes included baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, and broccoli salad. During the after-dinner table conversations, Rodney cleared the table, loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen, giving me time to enjoy family. When we moved to the living room, Adam and I slipped away for a while to discuss stock investments.
The kids went back to Lawrence but Rodney and Kelly stayed all night.
The next morning, Rodney visited his mother while Kelly and I slept in. Rodney also went shopping and returned with a digital meat thermometer and a big bottle of dish detergent. I had trouble getting the ham sliders baked to the right temperature the night before so he saw that I needed a good thermometer. And, he had run out of dish soap when cleaning up. Great after-Christmas presents!
Delaying Christmas until February resulted in a relaxed holiday. We should do this again!
Planning for Andrew's wedding put the 2019 Christmas schedule into January 2020 but celebrations with Dorothy and Barney on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day continued as usual.
After Christmas Eve services on Dec. 24, we went to Olive Garden for dinner. We avoided a long wait for seating by heading to the bar. Our timing was great because a couple in a booth were getting ready to leave and we slid in right behind them.
When I checked my restaurant gift cards, I found some from 54th Street, Frederick Inn and Olive Garden. The Olive Garden one was a gift from Andrew several years ago. (And I still have some $$ left on an iTunes card Adam gave me.)
At Barney and Dorothy's after dinner, I added my presents to the ones spread under the tree. Then Marcee joined us via Facetime and we took turns opening our gifts.
My presents included original artwork by Wanda Taylor and Lana Cease. I am collecting local artists so these pictures will be valued additions. I took some colored pencil classes with Wanda and now have purchased every colored pencil available at the St. Joseph Hobby Lobby. Lana is a friend who will probably be famous one day and, thanks to my sister and bro-in-law, I have one of her original watercolors.
Dorothy and Barney invited me to join them for dinner on Christmas Day. My favorite dish was the mac and cheese so Dot gave me the recipe: Go to the grocery store, find Stouffers in the frozen food section.
After we cleared the table and filled the dishwasher, Dot brought out her gift from Marcee, a karaoke microphone. Barney, wisely, retreated to watch tv. We sisters sang and recorded each other singing. I think we sounded better in person than we do on the videos we made. LOL
Our singing reminded me of Christmas Past when Mother and Aunt Bea, after several "highballs," harmonized on "Whispering Hope." Although I captured their voices on a tape recorder, neither the tapes nor the equipment to play them still exist.
