Christmas 2008--Family Memories

I'm just home from my extended family Christmas in Lubbock. Our parents are gone but we still get together on Christmas evening to exchange gifts among the kids and to see each other. It's the only time of the year that all of the family is all in one place.

Highlights from this year:
  1. The grandkids made the dinner this year--they are all growing up so fast. They made my Dad's dressing and had some of Mom's favorites too.
  2. I used the line from our Christmas eve services "that was the Christmas when...." which led to a long discussion and some laughter about some past Christmas memories.
  3. Gift exchange among the kids--always fun
  4. The addition of a Pug puppy to my sister's family..they named her "Mia"
  5. My sister broke out the videos from when the grandkids were small and we watched about 3 or 4 of them. We laughed and laughed. Can't believe that we did so many stupid things--like Karoke Christmas, and my brother dressed as Elvis.
  6. Probably the highlight for all of us was when my Dad was reading the Christmas story as he always did. This was from one of his last Christmas' with us. My kids had never heard his voice and 2 of them had never really seen him. There was a hush all over the room as we listened to him read the scriptures to us again. And then there were pictures of my mom and my aunt who are no longer here with us.

It was a bitter sweet gathering. My middle daughter got in the car after it was over and said "Dad, that was the best Christmas ever! Sharing those stories with family is what Christmas is all about". Enough said!

Do you get together with your extended family at Christmas?

1 comments:

Darla said...

you should join us for the 'i see what you're saying' carnival tomorrow, where you video your normal post so everyone can 'see' what you're saying, instead of reading it. the button is on my sidebar and you can sign in for all to see you. and no, i won't repost the bedhead pic.s! you are too late! ha.
sounds like you had a nice christmas, that's great!