Our Christmas

The majority of my family was able to get together on the 29th for our family's Christmas gathering.  Hubby didn't come with the girls and I because I was going to be at my parents' for two weeks.  My older brother and his wife spent Thanksgiving with us so they were with her family for Christmas.  Everyone else was there though, even my sister's fiance who drove 10 hours round trip just to be able to spend a few hours with us.

My family is not huge on traditions.  We decided several years ago as more of "us kids" were getting married that we would plan on celebrating Christmas whenever the most of us could get together.  One of my brothers is a State Trooper and he works a lot of holidays.  Hubby usually isn't going to be taking off any time around the holidays because he's expected to be at home for the congregation.  So we work around everyone's schedules to include as many as we can. We figure as long as we're together, the actual day isn't as important.

The one tradition we do have?  We have a scavenger hunt every Christmas.  Mom and Dad started doing one, I don't even know how long ago.  We used to have it just around their house, but the in-laws started complaining that it wasn't really fair since they hadn't grown up there and how were they supposed to know where the dog was buried?  Whiners!  Anyway, this year Mom and Dad went all out and actually gave items to several church members, gave us the addresses and we had to map it out on GPS and then figure out who had what.  It was a lot of fun. Although the driver in my car was the Trooper brother, and I'm not crazy about what a stickler he seems to be for the "laws of the land" such as the speed limit.  Anyway, it's the one thing we have all decided needs to be done every year.  I sometimes think my parents wish they hadn't ever started this tradition, but we all tell them they have no one to blame but themselves!

After the scavenger hunt we opened gifts and ate a laid back meal of enchilada pie.  If you've never had it, you've missed out!  I gotta say--my family is loud when we all get together!  Even when there were 8 of us living in the the house when my siblings and I were all at home my parents' house seemed plenty big.  (Most of the time!)  However, when there were 17 of us talking, opening gifts, and eating it seemed a little cramped!  But you know what?  I wouldn't change it.  I'm so thankful I was able to spend time with all of them.  And let's be honest--anyone who knows me knows that I'm not what you would normally term a quiet person.  We're all pretty loud, and I love it!