A chronicle of Christmas 2018

All right!  Here I am posting just a couple of days after Christmas this year... instead of months later!

It was another quiet Christmas.  Very nice in it's own way.  We did not do a lot of shopping this year - both of our kids have decided that they really don't want excessive gift-giving, for different reasons, but that is fine with me.  A gift or two is always good, but the excess that we see from our consumer-based media is not at all what we want anymore.  I hope my older son sticks with this idea as his boys get older.  My brother and sister-in-law have maintained a modest Christmas with their kids, and I respect them for that.

In any way, it was a very nice time. I DID find myself sewing one gift, but I got it done a good FOUR DAYS early!  Unheard of for me!  I'm usually finishing up something after everyone else has gone to bed.
Younger son in his made-to-order shirt from Mom.
Now, that is out of order... let's get back on track....




I did a bit of decorating, but we decided against a tree this year... well, sort of.  Jim has pestered me for years to have more outdoor decorations, so when I saw lit-up deer on sale for half-price, I let him buy them... but that was our Christmas Tree money!  I did end up buying a tiny house-plant kind of "tree", but I hope to keep it going for several years.





The creche on the sideboard.

The three hand-carved Santas for the kitchen table.





Jim's new deer.
Our "tree".  I hope I can keep it alive!

Younger son got home the evening of the 23rd. He has been working on home improvement projects at his new-to-him house and wanted a couple of days to do that before he came down.

We all 3 made it to Church on Christmas Eve, and after coming home we had cookies and Mulled Wine... it was delicious - after I added the SUGAR!  Always check your recipe before serving...

Christmas morning I was up at about my usual time, but the menfolk slept in.  We exchanged our few gifts and then did online video chat with the kids out in SD.  Lots of fun to watch them open their gifts.  Littlest one did not like the sound of paper tearing, so they had to open gifts CAREFULLY!  Lots of smiles and happy faces.  It was really fun to watch!

We chose special but not overly rich food to have, and not a lot.  I made only two kinds of Christmas cookies, and no other dessert. I had lost as much as 13 pounds, and that lowest weight was AFTER Thanksgiving, so I really don't want to re-gain much!  We had lasagna (homemade but out of the freezer) when Aaron got in on Sunday evening, beef filets for Christmas Eve, and Ham on Christmas Day. And here are just a few photos... to make up for last year... ;-)

Christmas Dinner

We worked at a puzzle all day



Hubby did the dishes!
And so, another Christmas is in the books.

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