Christmas traditions

In my family, we have had the same Christmas traditions since I was born. In my 30 years, I have spent every single year (with one exception) with my immediate family PLUS grandparents, uncles, aunt, and cousins.

We typically all get together Christmas Eve for a big dinner - sometimes formal, other years a more casual affair. No matter what, we stay up way too late talking, laughing, having a cocktail or two. Which most of us regret the next morning, when some crazy person wakes up before the sun rises to announce that Santa came while we were sleeping.

When I was a little girl, that person was Uncle John, who would rile Matt and I up before 6am, so we could run through the house waking everyone. One year, Uncle John and Papa Kurt set off the fire alarms. I think I was a teenager then and NOT impressed with their antics. When the cousins were younger, we often found little boys jumping on our beds announcing the great news. And the past two years, Miss Lily has been the first one awake though she has yet to attempt creating pure hysterics like the rest of her family...maybe next year.

Luke, Darby, Cooper, Lily and Reece

Lily and Cooper

Our girl was seriously enamored with her cousins. She followed the boys around and when she couldn't find them, would ask "where da boyz" over and over again (sorry Darby, we girls took backseat this year!). By the end of the weekend, she would announce "I like boyz" to a room full of laughter.

Where da boyz?

Papa Kurt reading a story

Ryan, Uncle John, and Uncle Matt

Uncle Tom and his friend Pam

Great grandmother Mema and her husband Woody

Uncle Tom and Ryan

Aunt Soni, Darby, and Matt's fiance Kristin

(Oh man, I hope we didn't scare Kristin off...we can be a loud, crazy bunch!)

Papa Kurt and Nanny (the one and only pic of Nanny all weekend!)

I can't tell you how fortunate we feel that we've been able to get the entire group together year after year as our family continues to grow and grow and grow! Cheers to many more years of celebration!