Christmas Recap

The company is gone, the decorations are put away, and life has slowly returned to normal (as normal as it gets anyway), even all the Christmas treats are gone (trust me I've completed a desperate room to room search for any stray shortbread or half eaten bar of chocolate).  Depression.
 Because we were away for a month just before Christmas, I felt ill prepared for the big event and some of our usual traditions went by the wayside to hopefully be resurrected next year...maybe.

We did manage to fit in most of our usual traditions like....

making snowflake cookies and....

enacting the story of the first Christmas and ...

singing Christmas carols.

This year I didn't get a chance to get together some Christmas pajamas so we weren't able to get our annual Christmas morning pajama photo like last year's.

I tried to tell my family that we really didn't need to have matching pajamas to get a Christmas picture,we could just improvise.

They wouldn't go for it.  Maybe next year!

TRADITIONS

Last week we celebrated Thanksgiving.  It's one of my favourite holidays - let's be honest, any holiday where our family gets together is my favourite.  

We have a few traditions associated with this day.  The first one occurs mid afternoon when Ian offers to help set the table.

TRADITION 1

Ian: Would you like help setting the table?

Me: Um... I guess... if you really want to. (I know what's coming)

Ian: There's a lot of people here, do you just want to use paper plates?

Me: No, I want to use the china.

Ian: Are you sure?

Me: Yes, I'm quite sure.

Ian: Should I get the glasses from the kitchen?  You don't want to use the crystal do you?

Me: Yes, I want to use the crystal.

It is the same conversation we will have at Christmas and then again at Easter.  We bought some lovely crystal glasses on a trip to Ireland a few years ago and I think it's funny that Ian never wants use them.  There is a reason for this which I will explain later.

TRADITION 2

Before our meal begins, we go around the table and each person tells what they are most thankful for.  Usually by the time we get to the end there will have been a few laughs and a few tears.  It is the best part of my day.

TRADITION 3

We all eat too much turkey and the trimmings but always seem to have enough room for dessert.


TRADITION 4

The guys do the dishes.  This is the reason that Ian hates to use the crystal glasses...they need to be hand washed.   While I enjoy taking a rest after the meal, I pay for this act of kindness when I get asked a million questions as to where things belong and then for the rest of the week as I try to find all my kitchen gadgets.

TRADITION 5

Relaxing after the meal and dishes are done.  This takes many forms but we seem to congregate together and play a game.  This year we gathered around our outdoor fireplace and watched the stars come out while drinking hot chocolate.  

I think Matthew went a little overboard with the fire but I'll let you be the judge.

The only thing that kept this from being an absolutely perfect day was the absence of Daniel, Olivia, and Adam.  We missed them. : (

NAUGHTY BUT FUNNY

The highlight of  a trip to a chinese restaurant for my family is the reading of the fortune cookies at the end of our meal.  There is always an eruption of laughter and sometimes tears of mirth as we each take turns announcing our fortunes.  You are probably asking yourself what's so funny about those little gems of wisdom slipped into cookies hard enough to break teeth.  Well truthfully, they're not that funny at all... until you follow our tradition of adding the words "in bed" to the end of your fortune.
While cleaning out my purse today, I came across a few of the fortunes that I kept.
DISCLAIMER: If you think you may be offended, stop reading here.

You are capable, competent, creative and careful. (in bed)
You are cheerful and well liked. (in bed)
You have balance and foresight, and you can envision the ideal direction that events should take.(in bed)
And my favourite.... If you need a helping hand, look at the end of your arm. (in bed)

PS  My husband does not take part in the merriment but we are sure to read his out too.  On occasion I have even seen him smile.