Chats include . . .
How do we do Advent?
Should we do Santa?
When do we hang decorations?
How many presents?
What kinds of presents?
Etc., etc.
While we still haven't made up our minds about everything, we've had some great discussions and are looking forward to Christmases yet to come, to put all our new family traditions to the test.
But this year, since John Paul is still super young and basically just wants to play with all the boxes and wrapping paper, we kept things simple. We traveled to Rhode Island to celebrate Christmas with my family this year, and it was wonderful.
We spent Christmas Eve introducing John Paul to the ocean.
His Auntie M came along for the adventure too!
And then we proceeded to party the night away with all my aunts and uncles and cousins, the yearly tradition. No pictures, since we were all wrapped up in the fun of it.
On Christmas morning, my mom snapped pics of us on the top of the stairs before being allowed to walk down and see the tree.
The tree in all her glory! This was the first year my parents got a fake tree! *SHOCKED FACE!*
John Paul loved opening gifts. Playing with boxes is his favorite!
Christmas morning Mass was lovely!
Followed by a day of relaxation, lots of eating, and playing board games with the family.
'Twas a perfect Christmas day.
We flew home the next morning, and John Paul got to open his one gift from us.
A Fisher Price little people Nativity. :)
And we're gonna keep on celebrating until the Epiphany arrives. We'll be blasting all the Christmas music (which we tried to avoid all through Advent!), eating more yummies, admiring Christmas decorations, and keeping the Christ Child alive in our hearts for a full 12 days. Oh, won't you join us? :)
Merry Christmas, friends!
Beloved:
When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Titus 3: 4-7
