Christmas celebration

Oh, how I love the Christmas season!  The music, cards, letters, decorations, and the preparations, feasting, baking, and anticipating precious family time.  However, I do not enjoy shopping for gifts or even thinking about the perfect gift for my small family because it seems to cause me stress and un-needed anxiety.   My kids have embraced alternative gift giving for four years now and it seems to take away some stress for them too.  The eight of us draw names and find some sort of theme to guide our gift giving.  We've done thrift store gifts, T-Shirts, and this year we agreed to buy hats for each other.  Here are a few memories courtesy of Duane's photos.

 Anne and Bradleigh bought the same knitted pony-tail hat for each other!

Hard hat for John with lots of personalized stickers

We spent some time recalling some favorite or memorable Christmases/gifts

Theresa:  1958 when my Mom was in bed with Rheumatic Fever and Santa Claus delivered gifts to all eight kids, including new handmade clothes for all the dolls.  We kids got to decorate the tree and thought it was gorgeous with spray-on snow!

Duane:  1980 - one of the first Apple computers!

Anne:  Sizzler's hot wheels track

Karen:  Tears to go along with the gift of Tree Crabs

Bradleigh - Laughter and giggles opening the thrift store gifts

Jake:  The fake gifts hidden in IPAD and IPhone boxes

Colin:  No way to fake the Hockey Stick gift

And, we piled non-perishable food into a huge gift bag and donated it to the local food bank to remember those in our community who are hungry.

Next year we may have to insist that we wear our T-shirts and hats to our party!

Duane spent time trying to get cute pictures of the dogs, Odie and Boomer

 I love Christmas morning at my house, watching the family open their gifts for each other!  They come up with the best ideas, such as a case of toothpaste for Duane

Odie socks for Colin

Colin got super excited about an old fashioned keyboard, one that makes clicking sounds!

New doorbell device to call the family to dinner!

And I got a lovely heart indicating I'm the World's Best Grandma!  It doesn't get much better than that!   Feeling grateful for the best gift of all - my sweet family!