One week from today is December 25, Christmas Day. Growing up, I would wake up Christmas morning and rush into the living room to see what Santa had left under the tree. Usually half of my gifts would be clothes. I would eat a light breakfast and put on my new clothes. Mom and I would then drive to my grandparents' house, where we would have Christmas dinner with our family of aunts, uncles and cousins. After dinner, we would gather around my grandmother's Christmas Tree and open gifts. My grandmother was a quilter and seamstress. Every year she made me clothes. These were my favorite gifts. She would sew throughout the year, hiding her hand made gifts in an old steamer trunk to surprise us at Christmas.
I knew the gifts were in the trunk and never looked. One, I wanted to be surprised, and two, that is where my grandfather's prosthetic arm was! He refused to use it. So that it is where it was kept. It freaked me out, and so I didn't peep.
After opening gifts we would go sledding, rotating in and out of my grandparents' home, where we gathered around their potbellied wood stove to warm up before going back outside.
This year we will pretty much do the same thing. Gifts opened at home, then off to extended family's home for a large gathering of family and friends for lunch and the opening of more gifts. Yesterday I wrapped some gifts. One was puzzle for the youngest of our family. He is two. Another gift that I wrapped was a pogo stick for a thirteen year old. We will be sending the kid with the pogo stick outside to bounce!
We will carry on our family tradition of outdoor activities with some sledding in the afternoon and perhaps a movie in the evening.
What are your plans? Any traditions? Do you exchange gifts? If so, do you open them on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Any outdoor activities planned?
A Winter Wonderland came to Oregon a little over a week ago which helped to get us all in the Christmas Spirit! Some photos:
A Towhee scatters the snow in search of seeds I placed on top of the pumpkin, while an Oregon Junco waits his turn.
All photographs ©BlueJessamine.