Christmas Eve and Christmas 2019

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent at our house because Doug and Jenn couldn't host because of Doug's schedule since it changes all the time week to week.  So, I ended up hosting Christmas Eve and Christmas this year.  We usually did Christmas Eve at Mom and Dad's house but they are currently redoing the floors and trim and aren't done yet.  Since I worked up until Christmas Eve, I systematically got the house ready for Christmas.

I tried to get our Christmas letter and cards done in early December and actually managed to get them done.  Several people moved so we had to get their new mailing addresses.  I got the tree up and decorated by December 7th.  It was crazy but I had to do it early because of the weather.  I really didn't want to go tree hunting in the pouring down rain.  That is fun for no one.  We got all the decorations out from the garage and decorated the house as best as I could.  With the addition of the large entertainment center I got from Ms. Hamel and Peg, we had more places to put decorations and hang stockings.

As Christmas Eve approached, I spoke to mom a couple times about what it would look like.  We have everyone come over around 6-6:30 and we have KFC or something since most people were at work until the late afternoon and don't have enough time to make food for everyone.  She said that sounded good.  I told her that she and Grandma would have to pick up the chicken as I got the house ready after work.  She said it can be done and she will take care of that part.  I told everyone what was going to happen and Doug and Jenn said they would be there as soon as Doug was off work.

I thought I would be nice and head over to Doug and Jenn's place to help them bring over presents since all of them wouldn't fit into their car with the chairs and table they borrowed a month ago.  I went over there and knocked on the door...no answer but I knew Jenn was home.  I went through the door and was ambushed by Charlie.  There was really loud music coming from one of the back rooms.  Jenn was back there putting on make up.  I told her I was there to pick up the table, chairs and presents.  She shut off the music and helped me load up all the stuff into the Escape.  She was drunk the entire time.  Why would you do that when you knew you were going somewhere?  I don't get it.

I came home and finished setting up the tables and chairs and making sure everything was done before everyone came over.  Mom called and told me that the KFC she went to, I am assuming it was the one off of Pacific, to tell me that they are out of chicken.  What?!  How is KFC out of chicken?  She said she didn't know and asked what to do next.  I told her to try the one over by Walmart in Hawks Prairie.  She said oh, I forgot that one was out there.  

Everyone arrived and now we were just waiting for Mom and Grandma with the KFC.  I didn't hear from her for a while so I assumed that KFC had chicken.  A few minutes later they came in with all the food so we helped them get it ready with spoons, plates and napkins.  Within the next couple seconds, we were all eating at the table talking about random stuff.  I made fun of mom for a little bit about KFC not having chicken.

Mom brought over the breakfast casseroles so I had them to put in the oven before everyone arrived for Christmas.  We've been doing the breakfast casserole for a few years because it's easy to feed to numerous people.  We stopped trying to make pancakes or French toast, scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage or bacon just because it's hard to keep warm.

We cleaned up the table and got a plate ready for Dad to take over to Grandpa on his way home and leave it in the fridge for another day.  It was going to be too late in the evening to eat dinner.  We all go comfortable on the couch and exchanged presents with each other.  I tried to get everyone at least one thing to open since the main present opening was tomorrow on Christmas.  Ben got me a date night Christmas present.  We were going to go out to dinner and then go see The Rise of Skywalker a couple days from now.  I bought him a wallet he wanted.

 We opened presents and threw the wrapping paper at each other because we could.  We cleaned up the living room and everyone gathered up their things.  They knew Ben, Erik and I had to clean up for Christmas tomorrow.  Before everyone went home we took some Christmas Eve pictures in front of the tree.  Everyone thanked me for hosting and that they would see everyone tomorrow morning at 9.

Ben and I got the tables wiped down and set up for breakfast, put away a few things and then I got cleaned up before we went to bed.  It was late and we had to get up around 8 to start getting stuff ready.

Christmas Day

We got up when our alarms went off.  I washed my face, brushed my hair and went into the kitchen.  I saw that Erika was up.  I gave her the job of cutting up the fruit I had her buy for breakfast.  She ended up making a fruit medley out of it with ginger and lemon juice.  I cut up the blueberry muffins I bought at Costco a couple days ago and threw the two breakfast casseroles into the oven.  Now we wait for everyone to get here since the table is already set.

As 9 a.m. approached, I got out the chocolate milk, orange juice and Ben made it easy for people to make coffee with the Keurig.  Once people started to arrive I had Erika, Zach and Ben help people bring in presents.  As soon as everyone was settled in and the presents were under the tree, we said grace and then dove in.  We ate, swapped stories and laughed.  Everyone who said they were going to come to breakfast did, except for Jean, Ben's aunt.  She was still healing from her surgery she had earlier this year.  We totally understood why she wanted to stay home.  We told her there's always next year.  Of course it just wasn't a true Christmas without Grammie.

After breakfast, we quickly cleaned up the dining room table and got ready for stockings and presents.  I tried to get all the plates, silverware, cups and mugs into the dishwasher so they would be ready to go at dinner time.  I threw in all the fabric napkins into the washing machine so we would have them for dinner.  We all gather around the couch and start handing out presents to everyone.  Several years ago we decided to pick names and keep the spending limit under $50 for those people who didn't have a lot of money to buy gifts for everyone.  It seems to still be working.  I had aunt Jean but she wasn't here this time so I decided to send it to her in the mail or give it to her the next time I saw her.

We opened presents and threw paper all over the house hitting people in the face when they weren't looking and surprise ambushing people when they were looking.  It was fun.  Everyone helped clean up the paper and got their stuff together to head home for a bit.  Trish, Amy and Ed stuck around hanging out and playing games while everyone else headed home to get ready for dinner.  Plus, Grandpa had to go home to rest until dinner.  Kevin and Karla wouldn't be joining us for dinner since they will be spending it with her parents up in Seattle.  We got a group Christmas photo before everyone left.

Around noon I got the ham ready to go in the oven.  Grandpa provided the ham.  I made a brown sugar glaze and stabbed hunks of pineapple on the outside.  Mom bought me one of those cookers a few years ago for Christmas and it is such a handy appliance.  Erika was responsible for the salad, I assigned Doug and Jenn rolls and Jenn made a coconut cream pie, Mom was making a veggie platter and some sugar cookies, Grandma made a peach cobbler and Trish provided deviled eggs and spritz cookies.  The mashed potatoes and gravy I waited to make about an hour before dinner.

During the afternoon, we played Uno Attack and marbles.  The television was on Christmas music for a while and Erika and Zach were hanging out in her room killing zombies.  I relaxed a bit on the couch and then played a few rounds of marbles.  The 3:30 hour came and I knew I had to start getting potatoes peeled and what not.

Around 4:45 I had most of the dinner ready and called Ben in to cut the ham.  I got everything ready on the table in the dining room, we got the table set in the living room and it was go time.  Mom brought the veggie platter and cookies, Trish placed her stuff on the table, Erika got the salad ready and we warmed Doug and Jenn's rolls.  Everything was ready to go.  Everyone was here and we scarfed up our delicious Christmas dinner.  We chatted, told stories and laughed...like we always do.  Like I always say, it just wasn't the same without Grammie.  She sure lit up the room.  Her personality was contagious and we always made fun of her because she was the last one done eating.  The loss is still hard.

After dinner, Trish, mom and Grandma helped me clean up and get the dishes in the dishwasher.  Meanwhile, everyone else watched TV or played games at the table.  About an hour or so later everyone dug into the desserts.  I ate so much I had no room for dessert but I had some cobbler after a while.

We survived another Christmas.  As a kid I had no idea how much work went into a holiday like this.  No wonder my grandparents were exhausted after parties.  As they got older it got harder and harder to plan, execute and clean up after everyone.  They eventually stopped because they ran out of energy so I started doing them in 2016 when I moved into my new place.  I appreciate that I was able to spend family gatherings the way we have all these years.  I miss them.  There are days I wish we could go back in time and relive those precious memories.

Once everyone left, Ben and I spent the remainder of the evening putting away tables, chairs and cleaning up the kitchen, the floor and some of the dishes that we had to hand wash.  I got cleaned up and went to bed just before midnight.  I was exhausted.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Next Adventure:  New Year's Eve with Trish