Classic Christmas Eve

I must be getting wiser because I appreciate Christmas on such a different level than I used to.

Perhaps it isn't Christmas itself, but the gathering of family and the moments that ensue.

DS2 finally made it home on the night of the 23rd, and DS1 and GF made it back to town earlier today so for a few hours I had all three heartbeats in the house.

The boys were busy wrapping the few things they bought. DS1 always tries to make it a challenge to open them.

DH had gone out ice fishing and by 4 PM we all headed over to my sister's for Christmas eve supper. There were 25 of us including 6 little ones. 

Food is always in shortage there............is our running joke. We are blessed to have an abundance of food on the table. We had a lovely supper with turkey and ham, potatoes and gravy, deer sausage, cabbage rolls and all the other little fixings.  My mom brought her home made buns and there was pie and cheesecake for dessert. Not that anyone had room right away.

It was fun to watch the little ones run and play. My nephew's three little girls were excited to see GF. They adore her and think she is a princess.

Games are a big part of our celebrations. We started with one where everyone puts a paperplate on the top of their head and one of the daughter in laws gave drawing instructions of a Christmas scene.  Then we played one I have seen on facebook videos. Person 1 has oven mitts on and a Santa hat. He or she has to try to open a tightly wrapped gift while the person beside them rolls dice.  If the roller gets doubles then they get the oven mitts and hat and get to tackle the gift.

DS1 went first and he looked like a reindeer pawing at the present in his oven mitts. He desperately wanted to use his teeth but that's against the rules.  When DS1 went he twitched as he is the camper and his reflex is to get out his pocket knife.   They had fun.

They also played Heads Up and some other new game but I didn't catch the name on that one.

GF had had to leave about 6 pm to go work a casual shift at a group home. She got back about 11 PM and we got home shortly before midnight.

Lots of laughter. Lots of food. Lots of people. Not much space :-)