Our First Family Christmas

I have such vivid memories of waking up on Christmas morning and running downstairs to see the piles of presents that Santa had left for us. That is my favorite memory, just seeing all of those wrapped presents, the anticipation, the wonder. I absolutely loved it. As I got older Christmas morning kept that same wonder. Just having those few quiet moments to take it all in. I guess that translates to life in general and how I love having those moments where I can just step back and take it all in. All the wonder...

After college I lived with a bunch of my girl friends from college. We lived in this three story crappy ass house that I personally loved. We had a LOT of fun in that house on Fairview. Mostly some crazy theme parties, but those are another story. However, one of my favorite memories is how my roommate Megan loved to lay under the decorated Christmas tree with all of its lights and look up through the tree. I think I loved it because it reminded me of being a kid and doing the same thing. I loved looking up into the tree and seeing all the lights reflecting off of the glass decorations. I love that Megan still did that at 24 years old (who am I kidding, she probably still does it at 33). Megan used to sleep under the tree too. She was always trying to get us to do it too. I would lay there with her, but i never slept under there with her. I think she may have talked some of the other girls to do it though... 

Having William wake up at our house on Christmas morning was priceless. We had a minor fear that William would wake up really early and open all his presents before we got downstairs, so Lawrence told William he had to stay in his room until we woke up (I told him I'd set our alarm for 7 am). When we woke up, I walked down the hallway and he was standing in his doorway. He hadn't left his room and it was just killing him. =)

I told him he could go downstairs and he moved so fast I was sure that he would break his neck on the steps. We followed him down and made him wait to open presents until we had made some coffee (Come on...the parents have to have some fun too).

 
When we finally let him at it, he was so cute tearing into the paper, screaming like a coyote, giggling, just being really excited. He made out like a bandit getting presents from both us and Santa. He got a computer from us and we all got a Wii from Santa. William especially was amused by the presents he got from some of Santa's reindeer. I think he got one from Rudolf and Dancer. He was very amused by the hoof prints on the presents. 

After opening our presents, we started preparing a big brunch. An hour or so later Aunt Anya, Grandma and Grandpa Miskel, and Great-grandpa Miskel came over to open more presents and to eat breakfast together. It was a wonderful morning. And most likely the last one where a certain little man still believes in Santa. Hopefully, however, the magic and wonder of Christmas will stay with him for the rest of his life. I just want to give him as many wonderful and happy memories as i can. And yes Megan...next year I'm gonna make him sleep under the tree with me!

Christmas Eve- Let the spoiling rotten begin!

Since I was a little kid, my parents have had Christmas Eve at their house. Everyone comes over...Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Great Aunts and Uncles, Family Friends, Second Cousins, and Grandparents. Over time, Christmas Eve ebbs and flows. As people get married and have new spouses' families to see during the holidays, not everyone makes it. Some of my cousins started coming to Christmas Eve every other year. And of course, as time passes we lose some of the matriarchs and patriarchs that helped make Christmas Eve special. Grandpa Oscar, Grandma Martha, Great Uncle Ken, Great Aunt Helen, Uncle Walt, and family friends. For a few years, fewer people made it and then it picked back up. It will always be my favorite day of the year. It just holds so many memories. Things that make me laugh and others that make me smile through some tears. My Uncle Walt and how much he loved the frozen whiskey sours my dad made. My Uncle Joe proposing to my Aunt Marcia on Christmas Eve. My family Christmas Caroling in the neighborhood after a few drinks. Through all the change, there are certain things you can count on.

1) The party ends up in the kitchen. (Although now my parents have a big bar in their basement with a sink, fridge, kegorater, so I'm counting this as the kitchen.)
2) My mother will forget to put out some food item that she prepared. Sometimes things are left in the fridge and sometimes she'll put things in the oven and forget to turn it on, but every year something doesn't get put out.
3) There are certain family stories that you can count on hearing at some point in the night.
4) Someone will probably get teary eyed.
5) And finally, Santa Clause will make an appearance at some point in the evening!

When I was young I remember the Christmas Eve party lasting until 3am. One year I remember my mother, aunts Verneil and Jackie, my cousin Dave, and probably a few others sitting against the Dining Room wall (late into the night) and barking "Jingle Bells." I think there was some commercial that year that had barking dogs in it. Who knows?

So, this year our little man got to experience Christmas with the Barker/Green Family. It was so fun. He can be such a pain, but when it comes to presents he can be so genuine and so polite and so thankful. His reaction is just so real... He gets so excited, you can just see the sparkle in his eyes. The last many years we have had a pre-Christmas Eve gathering with the immediate family. My parents, siblings, and neices and nephews all get together and exchange gifts. The whole evening becomes such a blur. It always goes too fast.

These pictures are in reverse order. The ones below are the pre-party and the ones above are when Santa (aka. Grandpa Ken) came to visit later in the evening.
This may be our last year where William believes in Santa. I tried very very hard to cherish every moment this year. Him and Alex tried to chase Santa and see him take off with his reindeer. Who knew Santa could move so fast?? He's very magical.

William got spoiled rotten by my family. His big present was from Grandma and Grandpa. It was a five in one game table. He had wanted it soooo bad (mostly for the pool table). William LOVES pool. He plays at Herbert Hoover and the two of us have been going to a downtown restaurant bar on the weekends around 2pm when no one is there and play pool. He is quite the shark. I have to try pretty hard to beat him. So he screamed like a squeeky little mouse when he got his game table. I think he might have peed himself!


And so the Christmas Eve magic continues. Christmas Eve will always be a night of anticipation, joy, family, laughter, tears, and lots of hugs. I wonder sometimes about Christmas Eves at some point in the distant future. I picture William and my neices and nephews and their spouses and kids all getting together. Telling stories and laughing. I guess that is the true gift of families. They carry on traditions, they carry on stories, they remember the stories that get told over and over. They support each other, love each other. I can't even describe how it feels to have William as part of our family. Another little person that will be part of the next generation. That will carry on the stories about his crazy dads and all of their quirkiness.

And this year, my mom told me that some of my Aunts and cousins stayed until very late, in fact it was close to early morning. I love how things are circular. And life continues... And families live on through their traditions and I happen to love this one.