Growing up, Christmas was always full of tons of traditions. It always included Christmas Eve church service followed by dinner on the ferry ride over to Bainbridge to the Grandparents for Christmas day and spending the night to go shopping the day after.
Now that I have my own family, some of the traditions have changed but we have started some of our own as it's so fun to have traditions to look forward to every year. For the past few years, we have gone over to a friends house for a big Christmas Eve dinner. We did it again this year and then made it home to put out cookies, carrots and some juice for Santa (I forgot that we were out of milk) and headed to bed so Santa could come!
We awoke early to make it to take the 7:10 ferry out of Edmonds over to Bainbridge. With all 18 members of the family at my Grandparents, we started by opening stockings, then had our traditional Egg Dish and Danish for breakfast and then proceeded with opening presents. This year we brought back the round-robin style of taking turns opening presents by age for a few rounds since with so many people and frenzied opening, you miss what everyone else gets and never get to see others open the gifts you gave them. So starting with Dylan, we took turns each opening a gift for 2 rounds to at least see everyone open a gift. Once the gifts were all opened, the cousins, aunts, and uncles that also live on Bainbridge headed home to get ready and take naps as we did the same.
Around 3pm, we headed over to my aunt's for appetizers and later, a huge dinner of Prime Rib and all the fixings. This year, we made sure to take a group photo since it's usually only on Christmas that all of us are together!
Dylan and I stayed the night at my Grandparents to take part in another tradition of going shopping the day after Christmas. We usually head to Target first for half-off wrapping paper, bows, decorations, etc. Then go out for lunch and then to the mall. We had lunch at Olive Garden and browsed stores at Silverdale mall until we were pooped. Dylan isn't the easiest to take out shopping as he isn't keen on sitting in his stroller any more and wants to walk, which easily turns into him wanting to be carried. So I didn't get much shopping done, even with my Mom, sister and aunts to share the carrying duties. Next year, he'll definitely be staying back at the house with Grandpa!
All in all, we had a great holiday. Dylan of course got way too many toys, my next task is figuring how to organize them or put some away for the time being, it's become a danger zone trying to navigate around the house with all the toys everywhere! We don't have any plans for New Year's, probably will spend it on the couch and going to bed early. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Best wishes for 2012!
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| He wanted to open his Santa gift so bad, he wouldn't part with it |
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| Posing with all the presents |
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| Finally got to open it, Scooby-Doo toys, just what he asked for! |
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Silly Grandpa and Uncle Jason with ribbon headbands on
Grandpa shared his Yard-Long Licorice with Dylan |
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All 18 of the Moehring Family
Back: L to R, Brian, Laura, Andrea, Gary, Dylan, Lynne, Dave, Jan, Joe, Nicholas and Walt
Front: L to R, Tyler, Kyle, Jason, Grandma Elaine, Grandpa Norm, Erica and Christine |
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This is a decorative frame that Dylan and I made for the Portland Grandmas
since we can't be there on actual Christmas |
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