Christmas in my household is always hectic but a lot of fun. Kirstin is usually up late Christmas Eve, so we all get to sleep in until about 9 AM. I'm planning on heating up the Cinnabons then, and we'll have some orange juice, right out by the tree. We'll probably wear our pajamas for a while, because at first it will be just Kirstin, Darci, Forest and I. Kirstin will likely open her stocking before waking us up, and then the rest of us will scramble to catch up, so she can start tearing in to the stuff under the tree.
We will start out unwrapping just our gifts for each other, among the four of us. Forest and I will likely sit back, and let Kirstin make the expeditions under the tree and back, and distribute things accordingly. At some point, Bill, Kathy, and Allyn will join us, and the true unwrapping and gift-giving part will begin. Allyn will be more interested in opening and closing doors and turning the lights on and off than he will be in the gifts. But hey, he's 2. What can you expect?
At about 12 noon, the group will go seperate ways. Kirstin, Forest and I will go to my mom's house, and maybe Darci will join us. We'll eat a brunch-like meal, and there will be all sorts of people there, so there will be lots of catching up and chatting to do. My stepbrother will be up, and my stepdad's mom and sister, as well as both my sisters and brother-in-law. The gift-giving at my mom's is always a little overboard, but that's fun, and we all have a good time. Laura and Kirstin generally enjoy handing out the gifts, and my folks buy gifts that are thoughtful and kind. My sisters and I will gang up around the piano and play Christmas carols and sing together. Most likely Forest, Jim, and Mark will hang out, and laugh at our carolling.
Around 3 or 4 Bill will pick Kirstin up to take her over to his dad's Christmas celebration. Forest and I will likely stay at my mom's until it's time to go to his parents' Christmas get-together, and pick Kirstin back up, and take her along.
I have no idea what to expect from Forest's family as far as a get-together goes. Thanksgiving was a huge feast and a trip en masse to a movie. Forest says Christmasses are crazy, though, and that his family tends to be very orderly about distribution and opening of gifts. They give each other funny things and practical joke gifts, I guess, and spend a lot of time laughing and picking on each other as always.
I'm sure by the time we get back home, we'll be stuffed with food and ready for a long winter's nap.
