Saturday Evening, December 26

We do not do a lot of decorating for Christmas, but do try to make the garage area a bit festive.

Jere and Kristen made the ham in their new smoker.

It was delicious.

Deb and Chris discussing the table setting.

Our children and grandchildren make it easy for us. They bring all the food and we take care of the place, table settings, coffee, juice, water, and mocha punch.

Nathaniel getting mocha punch

Our dinner was a bit somber this year since Jere and Kristen’s special needs adopted “son” had just been taken to hospice and was near death – meaning Jere wasn’t there very long and Kristen wasn’t able to come at all.

They were glad that they had honored Gregg (in wheelchair) a few weeks earlier by taking him to see the Peanuts Movie – along with many other residents and caregivers.

They adopted him many years ago – so someone could legally care for him after his parents were gone. Though he could rarely put together full sentences, he conveyed to Kristen that he knew she would soon have to call the funeral home – “Not for Mamma or Daddy, but for me.”

He passed away a few days after Christmas.

Back to our Christmas meal

Nathan getting dessert

Reading the Christmas story from Luke 2.

I print out Luke 2, separate the verses, then hand them out in random order. Since everyone has heard the story many times, we read the verses in the order they receive them – not in verse order.

Deb reading her verse.

Playing Now-You-Have-It-Now-You Don’t.

Everybody receives three numbers. When their number is called, they choose an item. However, the item must stay in view of the others, because the item can be “stolen” until a person’s third number is called. Only then can the item be hidden behind their chair.

Anthony did not receive a number, but could choose any item he wanted. He thought he wanted these colorful bag clips, but soon decided that they were not a toy, so put them back and chose a bag of pretzels. 🙂

We loved the simplicity of this Christmas.

During the Thanksgiving holiday, when the children and grandchildren usually exchange names, it was decided to do something different this year – with the money they would have used in the gift exchange – and buy groceries for Manheim Food Pantry.

The food pantry appreciated the change in our Christmas exchange…

…and we were honored that our children made this choice.

Since the idea came from Jere and Kristen and their children, we decided that another one of our children will choose what we do next year.