Christmas Traditions

Every family has its own family traditions. Here are ours:

1. Each family wakes up and opens gifts for their own immediate family at home.
2. My three children take their spouses and their children to see their grandfather (my ex-husband), and open gifts with him and their two other aunts (my children's half-sisters).
3. The three families then migrate to my house, where I serve brunch. Included is ALWAYS what our family calls "Moon eggs," which is basically Eggs Goldenrod.
4. Before we eat brunch, we open gifts from me and my husband.
5. Everyone departs to his/her own house and the children take naps (ha!)
6. The three families, plus me and my spouse, my sister and her husband, my single brother, my married brother and his family all go to my mother and father's house (about one mile south of me).
7. We eat finger foods.
8. We open gifts from Gee Gee and Pop Pop and all the great uncles and aunt and 2nd cousins. (And my nieces open gifts from me and hubby).
9. We play "Steal the gift" which consists of this. Each of is given a number. On the table are a corresponding number of wrapped gifts (just little baubles my mother has picked up during the year). Starting with #1, we choose a gift. Then #2 chooses to either "steal" the gift #1 got, or choose a different gift. (Remember, we don't know what they are). If a gift is stolen, then that person gets to choose another one. This goes on until everyone has gotten a gift. This year, I ended up with a plastic plate with my favorite college team's logo on it. But that's because someone "stole" the one I originally got -- which was a plate with my most hated college team's logo on it! Thank goodness!
10. We then sit around and talk.
11. More food.

And that's our Christmas.

See above for photographic proof!

A Progressive Christmas

Our little elves are above. We got one shot at this, that's all.

Our families play "progressive" Christmas each year. They keep adding stops.

First, each family wakes up and opens their gifts from each other. Then my oldest two traveled to their little sister's house and had gift opening with the aunts and uncles and cousins. Then one step grandson had to go to his dad's house. Then they all (minus the stepgrandsons), came over here. I made our traditional breakfast (eggs goldenrod, dubbed "moon eggs" by my brother when he was little), along with sweet breads, hashbrowns and juice. We opened gifts, then they all left to go to their dad's house (just up the road), where they met with their half sisters, their dad, and where the stepgrandson was deposited by his father. Then my two girls went home to finish cooking and to let the little ones take naps. My son (who lives about 10 miles away), went to my mom's and crashed there. I took a nap, then finished fixing the food I was taking. Then another stepgrandson was picked up by my youngest daughter and her husband, and brought over to my mom's. Then the other daughter showed up. My brother was there briefly, but left. My sister and her husband were already there. After we ate, we opened more gifts. Then my younger brother came with his wife and three girls, so we opened more presents!

We went home a little early, but the kids stayed and played cards.

I tell you, it's tough with stepfamilies, older parents, and little babies. Thank goodness everyone pretty much gets along.

Merry Christmas