Christmas Celebrations

I hope you and your families had great Christmases!  We did!  We had many celebrations.

They all started last Wednesday night with the candlelight service at my church and then dinner and presents with some of our family's best friends.  On Thursday, we celebrated again with another family friend.

On Christmas Eve, we had lunch with my grandmother in my hometown, and then I headed to Charleston for dinner and Christmas with PC's family.  We all (his brother and his girlfriend, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew) went to the Christmas Eve service at his church which was very nice.  My church has a candlelight service either the Sunday night or Wednesday night before Christmas, so I hadn't ever been to an actual Christmas Eve service.  It was awesome to listen to the Christmas story and sing carols with hundreds (or maybe even a thousand) other people on the eve of our Savior's birth.  I hope this becomes a tradition!

After church, we went back to KB and DB's house (PC's sister and brother-in-law's house) for dinner and to open gifts.  We had a blast!

 PC and me!  Rachel gave us all poppers and we had to see who would wear the paper crown the longest.  PC won.

RW and SI

PC's mom had the neatest gift for KB, RW, and me.  She gave us pictures of her children growing up. 

USC 2010 Baseball National Championship bat

 Jacob, PC's nephew, and me

KB with her new KitchenAid

PC and I stayed at his sister's house on Christmas Eve and saw what Santa brought Jacob for Christmas.  I also opened my gifts from PC.  One of the things he gave me was a pair of beautiful pearl earrings!  He's a great gift giver.

After we made waffles in my new flippy waffle maker, another gift from PC, we headed back to my house to see what Santa brought and to celebrate with my family.  I guess know my sister and I are too old for Santa, but I love that he still visits.  My mom made ham delights (a Christmas morning tradition) and some other goodies that we ate before opening our stockings and exchanging gifts.  

One of the gifts "Santa" left - a ZOKU popsicle maker from Williams-Sonoma. 

My sister with the gumball machine PC gave her.  When she had to sell Sally Foster wrapping paper at school a few months ago, she told all of us that she wanted to sell like a billion rolls of paper so she could get a gumball machine.  PC to the rescue.  I should also say that she's charging us for the gum.  It really is the gift that keeps on giving.

On Christmas afternoon, my sister made donuts for us using the donut pans and cookbook I gave her.  They were delicious.  She loves to cook and thinks she wants to be a chef.   

We all went to my grandparents for dinner Christmas night.  Here are a few pictures from my grandparents' front porch.

We didn't have snow on Christmas, but we woke up the next day to a snow-covered ground.  It was beautiful!  We built some snowmen, drank hot chocolate, and roasted homemade marshmallows over a candle inside (I hope that's safe!).

How were your Christmases?

Luke 2:1-21

 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to their own town to register.

 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 

  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 

  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

  “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 

  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 

  On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

(NIV)

emphasis my own

Merry Christmas!

I've seen this quiz on several blogs and thought I'd fill it out for myself!  Merry Christmas!

1. Hot Chocolate or apple cider?
Hot chocolate

2. Turkey or Ham?
My favorite is ham with pineapple and brown sugar on the outside

3. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it-yourself Christmas tree?
Fake, although I've decided a live wreath is necessary

4. Decorations on the outside of your house?
White lights on some trees

5. Snowball fights or sleddin’?
If we had snow and hills, I'd say sledding

6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping?
Yes!

7. Favorite Christmas song?
It depends on the when you ask.  My favorites are "The Christmas Song," "O Holy Night," "Angels We Have Heard on High," and "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

8. How do you feel about Christmas movies?
I don't like "Love Actually" which seems to be everyone's favorite holiday movie; however, I do love "The Holiday."  When I was little, my favorite movies were "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and another show that had the elves making presents in Santa's workshop, but I have no clue what the name of it is!

9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music?
Halloween

10. Stockings before or after presents?
Always before.

11. Go to someone else’s house or they come to you?
Both.  This year, we're having Christmas with my dad's mom for lunch on Christmas Eve, then Christmas with PC's family on Christmas Eve night, and Christmas Day with my family and grandparents.

12. Do you read the Christmas Story? If so when?
I love to read the Christmas Story on Christmas Eve.  That and "Twas the Night Before Christmas."  My sister always hates this fact.

13. What do you do after presents and dinner?
Nothing at all.

14. What is your favorite holiday smell?
Christmas trees and cookies baking.

15. Ice skating or walking around the mall?
Both!

16. Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas day?
I've always opened on Christmas Day

17. Favorite Christmas memory?
I have many, but one of my favorite memories of this time of year was growing up shopping for a needy family.

Christmas Giving

I absolutely love giving gifts at Christmas!  I love it more than opening gifts for myself.

When I was growing up, my parents worked with the youth group at my church.  One of my favorite memories of this time of year is going with them and all the youth to Walmart or the mall to Christmas shop for a needy family(ies) from our town.  I loved going around with the "teenagers" when I was little and helping them pick out clothes and toys for the children.  After shopping, they would all go back to my house to wrap presents and eat lasagna (as Melissa reminded us last night!) before taking the gifts to the family(ies).

When I was in college, we didn't really have a youth leader at our church, and I sort of fell into that position and had youth group.  This tradition of shopping for a needy family continued and was so fun and rewarding.  Fast forward and most of the youth went to college (I was only a few years older than most) leaving the gap between their age group and the younger kids.

It's been about two years since I've shopped for a family, and this year, I had the opportunity to help two.

Last week, I received an e-mail from someone about a family of four children that wouldn't be having a Christmas.  I have wanted to do something to help someone this Christmas season and was about to get a name off of an Angel Tree at the mall when I got this e-mail, so I adopted one of the kids anonymously and PC and I went shopping!  The little boy is 7 and into WWE.  Me, I'm not so much into anything like wrestling nor do I know anything about it, and I haven't ever really been around little boys until PC's adorable nephew, so I was lost.  Luckily, PC works for an entertainment venue, so he's seen his fair share of wrestling and knows about the popular wrestlers, so we got him some wrestling things, a game the family can enjoy together, a puzzle (for some reason, I've bought quite a few puzzles for gifts this year), and some clothes.  This weekend, we wrapped up the gifts at my house and I took them to be delivered Monday.

My Sunday School class also adopted three children this year.  Last night, a few of us met to shop for this family of three sisters.  We bought them each several outfits, pajamas, and socks and toys and games.  We wrapped them all at my house after and are going to deliver them tonight or tomorrow.  It's so rewarding to watch children who weren't expecting to have a Christmas at all open gifts from strangers.

Christmas really is all about giving.  I know I've said it over and over, but I feel so guilty about the sheer amount of gifts under my tree for people who have anything and everything when there are people all around who have nothing.  One year, I'd like to adopt a whole family and instead of buying so many gifts for my loved ones, spend on those that truly need things.  Giving doesn't mean only material gifts, but giving of ourselves- our love and our time. 

It's important that we remember about the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ, all year long and not only at Christmas time.     "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful Christmas and remember the true reason for the season!

Christmas Wish List

Christmas, Christmas time is near.

Time for toys, and time for cheer.

We've been good but we can't last.

Hurry Christmas!  Hurry fast.

I love Christmas and shopping for my family and loved ones!  There is nothing I get more joy from than giving gifts to the ones I love.  I don't need anything and there aren't too many things I really want either.  I feel so, so blessed in my life thanks to the precious relationships I have with my PC, my parents and sister, grandparents, and friends!  

           

Patagonia Synchilla Vest in black    OR        Patagonia Los Lobos Vest - Forge Gray       

    Pearl earrings

                                       
Pottery Barn - Twelve Days of Christmas Serving Platter 
Pottery Barn - Twelve Days of Christmas Salad Plates

   
365 Day Bible - Amazon                 South Carolina Cutting Board - etsy

• Something to back up my computer so I won't lose all of my pictures!
• pajamas
• running shorts and tank tops
• Steve Martin's new book
• makeup brushes
• 2011 Quotable calendar
• jewelry
• mouse for my laptop
• Long sleeve tshirts
• Brown Uggs
• Eat, Pray, Love
• 30 Rock Season 4
• Chuck Season 3
• White Collar Season 2
• belt hanger
• All About Eyes
• Heels and riding boots
• Surprises!

I have been a bad blogger this week.  I have things to catch you up on like fun weekend adventures and how I love this time of year and some other things, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share this:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61302423/south-carolina-plyboo-cutting-board

This is on my ultimate Christmas list for sure!  (more on that later, too!)

I found this etsy site via a blog I read (sorry for not crediting the blogger, but I can't remember who posted about this site!) and fell in love with this.  Based upon something I have someone for Christmas, I ordered this to go along with that gift, but in a different state.  (Sorry, I can't be too specific because I'm not sure if this person reads my blog!)