The holiday season has been relaxing and fun. It's been great to have all of the kids home for the break, as well as my mom and stepdad here from Florida. We've kept organized outings at a minimum, since I find herding all of the cats in a single direction can cause more stress than pleasure. Instead, everyone is able to relax and do what they want -- sometimes playing family games, sometimes reading, sometimes napping, sometimes eating, or sometimes getting together with friends.
We did keep our Christmas Eve tradition of having a honey baked ham for dinner, then everyone gathering as we read the story of Jesus' birth from Luke 2. Jenifer wanted to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas -- still good after nearly 50 years -- and then we watched A Christmas Story ("you'll shoot your eye out!"). Amazingly, Jennifer said that she never had seen it. I thought that watching Ralphie and his family muddle towards Christmas was a required part of being an American.
Christmas morning we also adhered to our tradition that the kids can wake up as early as they want and open their stocking gifts, but if anyone wakes the parents, then that person opens their presents last. It's worked for 25 years, and I saw no reason to change it, even though Garrett was the only one who was at risk of waking up early. It's fun to relax and watch as each person opens a present. I am especially appreciative of how all of our kids seem to be taking greater joy in the act of giving (including the thoughtful consideration of specific gifts for each person) than receiving. So it is in life.
2013 ends tomorrow. I've never been a big fan of celebrating New Year's Eve -- it seems to be a lot of effort for a calendar -- so I doubt if we'll be doing much more than watching a movie or maybe playing a family game. Happy New Year to all.
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