Christmas 08

This year went pretty well. I must admit without a little help from some recently built craftiness, there wouldn't have been much. We celebrated our family holiday on Christmas, as usual, opening stockings in the morning, then inviting the grandparents over to watch the kids open their actual gifts in the evening. For the first time in several years we did not go to a Christmas Eve service. I love old, small church services like the one I grew up in, but Dad is very into contemporary and cannot really find somewhere that fits ALL of his criteria, and probably never will, so we just make a point to recognize Jesus at home. Christmas day we loaded up and dropped a loaf of bread and card at the new (okay so they moved in the beginning of summer, but I have not gotten over there with all the craziness of last year) neighbors, then over to my mom's. Most the gifts there homemade as well,and I have to say that I agree with my sister's stance on really enjoying the gifts this year more than I have in some time. I get tired of the "okay I had to buy you something because we get something everyone, so here" gifts that I end up giving away to charity anyway. I went so far to make a list at Target so there were plenty of ideas, and no one had a good excuse to just buy crap-for me or the kids. And yet, crap it was. Now, I didn't expect (and let everyone know this) them to buy at Target necessarily, but the lists are available online. Look at it. Get an idea. Go to whatever store you want. Heck, I don't care if it is second hand if it was something that we thought we needed. Otherwise, don't bother. I wouldn't be hurt. Or just give me the $5. I'll go get coffee. I know that may sound crass, but if someone put thought into something, I can tell, and that is fine. I can tell the "I had to gifts". And I only really got a couple. If someone makes me something, it rarely matters what it is, I keep it and love it, because I know the time it takes to do something like that. Anyway, in the afternoon we went to Dad's mom's and was there until the evening. I managed to not completely gorge on food, and enjoyed coming home and putting most of our goodies away. It was a nice Christmas, and I am already making plans on next year's gifts so I can be done earlier than I was this year.