The Ritchie Family Christmas 2008

Oh what fun it is to ride to mom and dad's in the wilderness.
What another great Christmas we enjoyed.
Christmas last more than 1 day around our family.

Several days before Christmas, all the girls in the family meet at one of our homes. This year it was at Bobbie's. We have a Christmas lunch, we say no gifts, and we do Peg's birthday. The day always has an unusual outcome, but needless to say it is always entertaining!

Christmas Eve with my side of the family with my father. We meet at my dad's. After all the families arrive and we sit around enjoying conversation and then do the gift thing. We enjoy some snacks and coca cola and Dr pepper.

Christmas morning and noon with our kids and their families. Plans were to be here by 10 am and we would do gifts first and then Christmas dinner and then we all go to husbands family because Brandon and Julie were leaving early to go back to her family's Christmas. But change in plans (because one group was late arriving). But no harm done, just re-group and proceed with the day.

Once everyone has arrive, we have Christmas dinner. We begin with saying Grace and thanking God for His Son born on this day. '

This was my Christmas table before anyone arrived.
This is my Christmas table with the damage being done....

We read the Christmas Story from Luck 2:10-14. Then there were the the exchange of gifts among all. We drew names so each person only had to give 1 gift. It isn't really necessary for each person to have to give all the other people a gift. That would be giving 12 gifts at 1 Christmas gathering and getting 12 gifts in returns. Because there's the other side of their family to do, too.

We had fun. Jennifer started with giving her gift to the name she drew. Then after that person opened his/her gift, he/she gave their gift to the one they drew, and so on. It does take quiet some time to get around to everyone and watch each one open their gift and see and hear their reaction. It was a very fun way to open gifts. Yes, this is antlers. This is the new thing you see == antlers on the windows of trucks. Instead of your college football team pennant waving, you see antlers on the truck!!

Oh, and my gift was this, a purse. I love it!!! Thank you Julie - she had my name.
Then, there were the Santa gifts and stocking to open. (of course Santa being mom and dad) These gifts everyone could open them all at the same time, because all gifts were just alike.Christmas evening with husbands parents and his siblings and their families. We went there in the after noon for just a short while to visit. It's always nice to see each other and catch up on each others news.

Then back to our house to eat Christmas supper. A short relaxation time. Then gather all the belongings and load up each vehicle for everyone to go back to their own home. Wait. Wait. Take this food care package I made for you!!

By 9 pm everyone is gone. What a wonderful day. I hate to see them leave. Snap out of it I tell myself -- get back in reality --- there is a kitchen and living room that needs my undivided attention to be cleaned up and put back in order!!!!

gin