Christmas

Christmas Eve has many traditions in the Brown Family. It all begins with a party at Grandma and Grandpa's home.  There is a grand feast with potato skins, home made chexmix, cookies, a roast, cheese and crackers, a lot of food.  So we eat dinner, then the singing begins. We start with the "fun" songs. Rockin' around the Christmas Tree, Silver and Gold ( personal favorite ), 32 Feet and 8 Little Reindeer, Jingle Bells ( Ben especially requested that one ),  O Grandpa Brown ( to the tune of 'O Christmas Tree' ) and of course, Santa Clause is Coming to Town. For the last song, Santa is coming to town, we have props, and a big act that happens. But, this year, things were a little different. Usually it's the big finale, but....it was different this year. We had some newbies, and Jeff, Brian and I were the ones who were supposed to direct things, but we were a little rusty.  It's a complicated act we put on, the older Grandchildren all know that.  Hard to explain, something you have to see in person.  So anyway, we did that, and it was funny this year, 99% of the time our backs were to the audience.  After the "fun" songs, Grandpa reads the Christmas stories intermingled with hymns.  Very beautiful.  Then we open the gifts from Grandma and Grandpa. The boys get rockets, and the girls get a different decoration that has to do with some holiday. This year we got Christmas wreaths. 

Some of the best parts of the evening?  

The piano. Oh the piano. Katie does a wonderful job playing it.  It's so out of tune, and unfortunately doesn't give Katie justice for how well she plays.

 

When Brayden asked Ryan, "Why are we singing Silent Night three Times?" We sang it twice, and Brayden was getting impatient to open gifts.   

When Allison asked Grandpa if he had to eat every single popsicle to get so many popsicle sticks that made up the fences on the wreaths. (See the picture belo

w).  Grandpa was really hilarious about it. 

When Grandma told me that when the kids were younger, she would have successive cookie baking parties for all four of them individually! They all would invite friends over, individually, and for four days in a row, she would bake cookies with them.  So much work! 

When Grandpa got Grandma the beautiful double strand pear

l bracelet.  It was so sweet, while we were eating dinner, Grandpa whispered to ask me to get a present behind the bar for Grandma, and act like I just found it, and didn't know who it was from, and then give it to Grandma for her to open.  She was so surprised and had no clue, it was special.  

My Dad told me to mention the salmon dip.  Good job Uncle Scott and Aunt Laurie.   

My Mom told me to mention simply being together under one roof and singing together. 

We didn't get a ton of pictures, so refer to the best blog ever  here :)  for more of your Brown family Christmas fix!