Catching Up:Christmas Day

Christmas Day was a wonderful day to be a family. #1 woke us up about 7am to let us know that Santa had come. I talked her into cuddling with me until #4 got up (it is just against everything in me to get up before him). Once all the boys were awake and the adults had coffee we let the kids start with their stockings and move into opening gifts. We took our time as much as we could, going one at a time and weaving in an adult opening with the kids taking turns. #4 was not interested in much other than the candy so he had a little pile of presents to open later.

After the presents were opened it was time for breakfast. Christmas morning breakfast is the same EVERY year and I LOVE it. I use my mom’s recipe for sticky buns and get them ready the night before (actually I usually do it the afternoon before but I ran out of time this year and was up until 1am to get it finished). While we’re opening presents the buns are cooking and making the house smell fabulous. We also have a tradition we inherited from my mother in law. The canned goods that were preserved this summer (read all about my canning season here) are not allowed to be opened until Christmas morning. So with our sticky buns we enjoy the first taste of the peaches and pears from the summer.

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing with the new toys, a nice nap for #4, tidying up and cooking for our Christmas dinner. My parents usually come for dinner but because of the snow storm they were stuck in their new house. #2 didn’t put the DS down until I made him get dressed for dinner (at 3 o’clock)!

We cooked a ham from the pigs we raised this summer. It was huge and it turned out wonderful! Mr. Wiedz was in charge of the ham and he did a perfect job seasoning it, glazing it and carving it. We had so much left over we put a bag in our freezer, sent a bag home with the in-laws, took a bag to my parents, sent a bag to town for Papa B, gave some to K and sent some home with Grandpa A, plus we ate another bag in our fridge for a couple days. I also used the bone for ham and bean soup on the 30th!

The day was wonderful and quiet and calm. Perfect. I do wish we had more traditions that focused on Christ’s birth for the kids and the adults to reflect better. We did light our final advent candle and read a couple verses from Luke to finish our advent readings. I just know there is more we could do. I’ll add that to my list of things I want to do next year.

It was a Merry Christmas!