Christmas Around Here

started the day after Thanksgiving.

We put up our Nativity on our Piano

(Doesn't it look like they're holding hands?)

Then we put up our tree. After getting all the lights and ornaments up the kids fell asleep beneath the soft glow of the tree.

The first Sunday of the month we got together with all our cousins and made Gingerbread Houses

Then I was gonna do a set craft/activity each day of December, but I decided I do better just winging it, so we wung it (very proper English, I know)

Then Christmas Eve arrived and we celebrated with all our cousins with a talent show and gift giving. Then we headed home at a very late hour and all fell into our bed (the kids love that they all get to start the night out in our room only on Christmas Eve -- I say "start" because EVERY night they all end up in our room between 3 and 6 am). The carrots for the reindeer and cookies and milk for Santa were set out. Then morning came: 

And we are still enjoying the fruits of that morning. Around noon we headed over to my mom and dad's house and met with my brother and their family, opened crackers, and had a lovely lunch and gift exchange with all of them. Then we went to an assisted living home for the elderly with a friend of mine and we sang carols then came home and the kids played and the adults talked until bedtime...which again was really late. Sigh, I LOVE Christmas. We spent the day after with my family as well since my brother was in town. So we really didn't get any chunk of time at home to play with toys until Thursday whereon a boy in our neighborhood came over and witnessed the state of our living room:

and exclaimed "It's a mess in here" to which I joyfully responded 

"Yes it's beautiful isn't it!" 

Merry Christmas to you and Happy New Year!