Christmas day is sure sneaking up on us! After my immediate family spends the morning together opening our "Santa" gifts and other presents from one another, we get ready to get together with the rest of our family. Every year we go to my grandparent's house to spend the day with my aunts, uncles and cousins. Normally we have around 20-25 people at our gathering! {We have a big family...I have 20 cousins, but lots of them are out of state!}
Usually we spend the day opening presents, eating, enjoying dessert and playing a game. This year we've decided not to exchange presents with the entire family in order to save money during this holiday season. Instead, we're going to fill our "present" time with the gift of "presence" by spending more time together playing games and exchanging laughs.
If you know me at all, you know I love a schedule, a list and an itinerary (: I'm kind of like Monica on FRIENDS. So, I made a schedule for Sunday to help relieve the stress of the day.
Here it is:
With a family as big as ours, we've learned that a progressive dinner and dessert, and group games really are the best way to go. We keep the party moving from my grandparent's to our home, and we all have fun interacting and laughing hysterically at my grandpa who never fully understands the rules (: {He still thinks pictionary is an acting game, like charades!} The White Elephant Exchange has been a tradition in our family for 3 years now. This year the gift must come from our homes, cost nothing, and be on the humorous side. I, for one, am excited to see what everyone comes up with!
So now, you tell me:
What do you and your families do on Christmas Day?
Love,
Usually we spend the day opening presents, eating, enjoying dessert and playing a game. This year we've decided not to exchange presents with the entire family in order to save money during this holiday season. Instead, we're going to fill our "present" time with the gift of "presence" by spending more time together playing games and exchanging laughs.
If you know me at all, you know I love a schedule, a list and an itinerary (: I'm kind of like Monica on FRIENDS. So, I made a schedule for Sunday to help relieve the stress of the day.
Here it is:
With a family as big as ours, we've learned that a progressive dinner and dessert, and group games really are the best way to go. We keep the party moving from my grandparent's to our home, and we all have fun interacting and laughing hysterically at my grandpa who never fully understands the rules (: {He still thinks pictionary is an acting game, like charades!} The White Elephant Exchange has been a tradition in our family for 3 years now. This year the gift must come from our homes, cost nothing, and be on the humorous side. I, for one, am excited to see what everyone comes up with!
So now, you tell me:
What do you and your families do on Christmas Day?
Love,
looks like a wonderful evening! i am glad you didn't have though...
ReplyDelete18:00 prompt hrs dinner at grandma's
20:00 dessert at out house
then i would REALLY be worried! ;)
have fun, merry merry!
What awesome traditions!! I love the idea of the progressive dinner and dessert! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeletesounds like a blast! i love huge family gatherings. merry christmas :)
ReplyDeleteChristmas Eve we go to my grandma's for supper and gift exchanges. On Christmas we have a big brunch prepared by my mom, then we have devotions, and sing Christmas songs. Then we open our presents, and take naps and play with our toys! The next day we go to my other families' Christmas. Merry Christmas! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful day! We head out to church Christmas Eve, and are planning to come home for hot oil fondue. Christmas morning we will open gifts while munching on our traditional cinnamon coffee cake and then head out to church (since it falls on a Sunday), then it will be off to my brothers for a bit.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful Christmas :) We usually open presents in the morning & Dad makes chicken friend steak for lunch/dinner (funny, i know...we're just not much on turkey & ham and since Christmas is so close to Thanksgiving, we change it up). Merry Christmas to you & yours!
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of presence instead of presents!! Sounds like a great day your with your family!
ReplyDeleteHow fun! Sounds like a wonderful Christmas with your family!
ReplyDeleteEvery Christmas has been different with us, since we are always in a new state, but since we are back in WI this Christmas we are going to be busy! We have Christmas Eve at my husbands Grandparents house, the whole family get together, eats a nice dinner, Santa comes to visit the little ones, and we open gifts. Christmas morning we will open gifts with the in laws and Ethan, and Christmas night we will have dinner and open presents at my parents. Then Monday morning we are driving to Chicago to spent time with my husbands other Grandparents. It's going to busy, but so much fun for Ethan :)
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I love white elephants & secret santas! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeletewhite elephant exchange? I've never heard of that, ha ha. Is it like the dirty santa game?
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a happy Christmas!
sounds so fun! we are doing everything christmas DAY starting with a brunch at 8am, presents at 11, finger foods at 3 and then we are celebrating my/my husband's birthdays at 5pm! so fun!
ReplyDeletexo,
ashley
How fun! Our family on my dad's side don't exchange gifts except for the little kids just because our family is so darn big! When we used to live in Minnesota (where all my family is) we would open presents in the morning and then get ready to go to our grandparents house and eat dinner and play the dice game which is so fun and we play cards and laugh and oh how I miss it! ha
ReplyDeletei love the idea of just enjoying each others company instead just opening gifts.
ReplyDeleteI been hearing a lot of apples to apples! I have never played!
This sounds like so much fun! I bet presence over presents will make it an extra special year :)
ReplyDeleteWe have Christmas dinner on the eve, wake up the next morning to a huge spread of breads, cookies, and cider/tea/coffee, and then start the pickle hunt. Whoever finds the pickle ornament on the tree gets a small prize. We then open presents and laugh and eat all day. These days we have to go between families but there is still plenty of laughter and food. Always LOTS of food.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a wonderful Christmas day!! My day goes a lot like yours! I, too, have a big family and so we all meet up at someone's home and have a big dinner and open presents. :)
ReplyDeletelooks like a great tradition your family has! mine is church, breakfast with family, presents and dinner later on.
ReplyDeleteI love the presence instead of presents idea!! Y'all are the cutest family ever!!!
ReplyDelete