We’re home from church now. The wrapping is all done, the stockings are hung by the chimney (with care) and we’ve put out milk and a cookie for Santa. The only thing left to do is enjoy a late glass of wine and then head for bed.
Even as an adult (and I use that expression loosely) I’ve always found it difficult to sleep Christmas Eve. The thrill of Christmas morning has always awoken me early and made the hours from 4 am till 8 am drag by. But this year, for some reason, I sleep through. I woke up around 7, lay in bed for a while and then got up to start the day and wait for the rest of the house to rise.
We cut back a little this year and tried to be a little more reasonable. I guess maybe the Dave Ramsey study did some good after all. But it was as much fun as ever opening presents, especially watching the others enjoy what they received. The two special moments were widely different. Lizzy’s reaction to the “Snuggie” that we got her was disappointing, to put it mildly. We gauged her look to be an “Are you kidding” look at first, but soon realized that it was actually a “You have got to be kidding” look. She was not as happy with the gift as we thought she’d be.
The other moment has to be prefaced with a Thanksgiving moment. We went to my brother Dave’s for Thanksgiving this year. My two young nephews, Nathaniel & Dawson, showed us their Nerf Dart guns. Liz, Jimmy, John (my brother-in-law), my brother, the boys and I spent over an hour of the day running around the house shooting each other (and the wives) with the nerf darts. We had a blast, and I guess Santa noticed because the last gifts Liz, Jim, John and I opened were matching Nerf Dart Six Shooters. We shot each other, we shot at targets, and we spent the day shooting. Not exactly in the Christmas spirit, but we did have fun.
Dave, Holly, the boys and my new niece Jillian were coming over on Saturday, Boxing Day, so I sent off an e-mail to Dave and advised him to bring the boy’s guns with them. We were all set to surprise them the next day when they arrived. However, they turned the tables on us by bursting into the room toting nerf machine guns. We found out quickly that we were out-gunned. The rest of the day was fun as all of us (except Michelle, Holly & Jillian) spent our time in one extended shoot out.
The highlight of the battle came when Lizzy’s friend Chrystal came over for dinner. With a little help from Holly & Michelle, Chrystal was led in through the garage where she was promptly ambushed by all of us.
This had been one of the most memorable Christmas day(s) in a few years. We had a blast playing together, enjoyed two nights of great dinners, a roaring fire, a nerf gun battle that will not be forgotten and I was able to watch all three of my favorite Christmas movies over the two days: “A Christmas Story”, “The Muppets Christmas Carole” (my favorite version of the classic) and “Die Hard”. I know what you’re thinking but face the facts: There is Christmas music, decorations, Christmas party (slightly interrupted) and numerous comments of Frosty, Rudolph and Santa and his ho-ho-ho’s. It’s a Christmas movie. Deal with it.
Top that off with the love and fun of being with at least some of my family, and I have to give this Christmas 4 stars.
As the end of the Christmas weekend wound down, it was time to prepare myself for a busy week, and another Tuesday night worship service at CFCF.
Say a prayer for somebody today.
Footnote: And by the way; there isn’t a morning where Lizzy is eating her breakfast and doesn’t have that snuggie wrapped around her.
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