I came home about a week later than usual so it was even more of an occasion. I got the usual welcome home committee & greetings from a house full of extended family. Since everyone had places to travel, we met at my grandparents new house in Bulverde, TX to eat a gloriously filling lunch and open a few presents on the eve of Christmas eve. It was so much fun to see some distant family this year. We got to eat turkey, ham, homemade pie, and lots of delicious foods my grandparents are legends for providing on the holidays. It was a wonderful night full of fun and laughter.
My sister's longtime boyfriend, Nick's family also joined us from Corpus Christi, TX this year. Parents, children, toddlers, aunts, uncles, granny's, cousins, sisters, brothers, friends, everyone was invited to a Christmas Eve party at my elder sister, Kori & Nick's brand new house to celebrate. For one, the house looked absolutely gorgeous! They just recently planted roots in San Antonio, TX and found a house that flatters them so well. It was a wonderful host house, flows well, spacious rooms for lots of fellowship. We decided to mix it up this year and have barbeque, baked potatoes, mac'n'cheese, green bean casserole, creamy corn, salad, Irish cream cake, pretty much every great non-traditional Christmas food, which was amazing and a nice break from the usual week of turkey. Mmm.
The little girls colored and played hide'n'seek, they entertained us all with shrieks of happiness and joy. We were even introduced to a new tradition from Nick's side of the family of simply singing Christmas carols together (accapella), which was actually really sweet and really funny. When we didn't catch the case of giggles, we had a grand ol' time. I hope that tradition sticks.
Before we ate, everyone stood & gathered in a circle to hold hands and pray. It was a sweet and simple reminder of the birth of Jesus and the true meaning of Christmas that we so easily forget sometimes in the hustle & bustle of buying gifts. A savior was born & our lives are made complete knowing we have paradise to look forward to because Jesus has paid the debt for our sins. We are thankful.
I have been so blessed to witness the progression of two families being sewn into one over the years and had so much fun spending Christmas under one roof eating some delicious food and getting to catch up with loved ones we don't get to see every day. I wish I had gotten more pictures of everyone. We even celebrated Nick's granny's 81st birthday. We had lots of cake, ice cream, ice cream cake, everything to make one start rolling instead of walking.
As the night concluded, my immediate family attended the candlelight service. Then we headed home to open presents, a family tradition we have carried on for years, Christmas Eve presents before Santa comes in the night.
We also drove around Windcrest to look at all the Christmas lights in the convertible snuggled together under blankets to save us from the brisk wind.
Funny that I am now 22 years old & this is the first time we have ever acknowledged that Santa is not actually the person that knows princess bandaids and lifesavor gummies are good stocking stuffers, no matter the age. This is the first Christmas it was alright to say aloud that Santa isn't real but the spirit of Christmas was far from fake.
It has been a lazy Christmas day full of Christmas movies, "Merry Christmas" calls, texts, and celebration from those we couldn't be with and lots of anticipation for a new year full of journeys that make Christmas joy stick around all year long: love.
So, this years resolution is not to hold happiness an arm's length away from myself. I want to completely and whole-heartedly invest in the things that make me genuinely happy & to simply enjoy them with the spirit of love, the spirit of Christmas & the reason for them both close to heart, Jesus.
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