Fabulous Christmas! Absolutely perfect under the circumstances. Much, much better than I expected.

I dropped DD off with her dad on Christmas eve at 11:00 a.m. so that she could be with his family for their annual party. It gives me a chance to do last minute things without her peeking. Finished up the grocery shopping and headed home to finish sewing, wrapping and baking some cookies. When darkness fell, I lit a candle for R and talked with him and cried my eyes out. I took pictures of the candle flickering in the foreground and the white twinkle lights of the tree as the backdrop. Very pretty and just a very meaningful time for the "two" of us. It's still making me tear up now.

Christmas morning, I picked up DD and brought her home. DS and his girlfriend ambushed her with silly string when she walked in the house. It was SO funny! My parents came over and DS and I made breakfast for everyone. Then, it was gift opening time. DS' girlfriend, T, is just a hoot. She brought fake mustaches for everyone. Well, DS and my dad don't need them, but all the girls wore them. It's really hard to take someone seriously when they're wearing a fake mustache. Made for some great pictures!

DS made dinner while I napped on the couch. Actually, I think everyone napped while he was cooking. After dinner, it was Packer football and Minute to Win It games. Oh My! It was hilarious watching my parents try to get jingle bells to come out of a box belted to their waists. We laughed hysterically.

And, today, I stayed in bed until noon. PERFECT!

This afternoon I am helping DD finish making a quilt for her BFF.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and those of you in Canada are having a fabulous Boxing Day today! And for those who celebrate Kwanza, Happy Kwanza to you today!

@Carol- what a wonderful Christmas for you. You may tears at this time of year for years to come. It is OK. Your parents sound like good sports to play minute to win it. Go Pack Go!!

Glad to hear your Christmas was good. Sounded like fun and the mustaches sound funny!

We had a great time too. Lots of laughs and silliness.

Happy Boxing day to my canadian friends.

Purdy:
thanks for the explanation of boxing day.

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Hope you all have time to rest.

mon, i ran an errand (bought dsis' gift card), read for 30 min and cleaned for 30 min.... ran the vac and cleaned the bath. a good day

mary

Hope everyone had a great holiday season and enjoyed time with family and friends.

Am excited to finish up christmas eve items and move on to continue decluttering and sorting thru things. Might hold some for a garage sale in the spring. Will see how much I gather.
Hoping to achieve 2012 things tossed!

Carol - It sounds like a wonderful Christmas day love the mustaches idea.

Well I too had a fab Christmas day we managed to keep granddad distracted all evening. I think it helped him visiting Nan's grave Christmas morning so he had had his tears and felt better for it.

Boxing day was spent with the inlaws and all DH's family and it was raucous. Lots and lots of laughter

Carol, you seem to have a healthy way to grieve and celebrate the life of R. and then move on each time to enjoy the present moments. So pleased to hear that you had fun.

Karen, it sounds like your Granddad has had the same need to have his special time at your Nan's grave and share Christmas with her, so to speak.

Diana, I also am looking forward to decluttering soon.

We had a great Christmas with DS, DDIL and DGD, who arrived around 4 pm on Christmas Day. My second turkey dinner since returning to Canada was successful and seemed easier this time. DS certainly loved it as he had a second huge plateful!

DGD ripped into the wrapping of the cradle with great expertise and seemed rather surprised. Since she is now into Barbies, I think she might have thought it was a Barbie accessory. But she loved the doll which "sucks" on a bottle and cries when it is removed, and she was arranging the bedding with the doll. At her age, toy interests cover a broad span, and I think her friends will be interested in the cradle and bedding, too.

I wanted to prepare a fabulous buffet feast for our special reunion with dear friends on Boxing Day, which was a lot of work even making things the morning before, but it was very successful and we had a lovely time. The two little boys played wonderfully with DGD, and after our main dishes we pulled crackers and exchanged presents, creating a mess of paper and bits, wall to wall! I had an attack of "the curse of the GONers", and had to restrain myself from the urge to clear it all away immediately! LOL We then found room for dessert. The trifle was very popular, also a lemon pie, and there wasn't much room for the other baked goodies!

This morning we had a late breakfast and all walked to the river. After a late lunch/early supper of leftovers (lupper?), DS loaded the car, including packages of food, turkey and ham, and baked goodies, and they headed off into the snow. So thankful to get their call later to say they were home safe and sound.

I think my December goals worked out, being mainly Christmas oriented. Now to plan the January goals, after the remaining Christmas and New Year period of festivity.

Bushlady:
Sounded like a lovely holiday and so glad DGd enjoyed her cradle and blankets.

I hope you take time now to rest for a few days after all your cooking and preparing.

Bushlady - Thats exactly how it was we each had time at the grave shed our tears, and then came together Christmas night to celebrate which is what nan would of wanted. I love that you understood straight away. Sometimes its hard to explain how we can be happy and sad all in one day.

I am glad you also had a lovely holiday family

I have a party to organize this Thursday thanks to DH. When he went for his Boxing day drink at the pub with all the other male relatives(while the women made the lunch oldfashioned but only once a year lol)he invited everyone to ours. He will be helping out with the preparation whether he wants to or not afterall it was his idea