Christmas Notebook

Saturday, my family arrived for our annual Christmas party. I have two brothers and four sisters. All were here, along with my Dad and many of the associated spouses, children, and children’s children.

All the grands and greats get a stocking. Each contains candy, a candy cane, an ornament or a small toy, and a gift from my Dad.

The stockings increase in number year by year. This year, I made three new ones for the three great-grandchildren (my Dad’s greats, not mine) born this year. The youngest, being only ten days old, didn’t come this year. Hopefully, she will be toddling around the Christmas tree next year. The stockings have finally reached the top of the twenty-two steps and now go around the bend in the railing and preceed down the upstairs hall.

Of my Dad’s grands and greats, there were twelve of the twenty-one grand-children here and thirteen of the thirty great-grands in attendance.

My niece and her son are visiting from South Africa this month. They stayed over the night before the party and she helped in the kitchen while we were getting ready for the party.

This year, instead of a big meal, we decided to serve appetizers and finger foods. Everyone brought something and added it to the table.

The kitchen always seems to be a favorite gathering spot.

My brother-in-law, my Dad, my nephew…not sure what they’re discussing.

My sweet great-niece. We found a piece of holly for her lovely red hat.

My sister Genny’s family, with the exception of her older daughter’s husband, who was not able to make the trip to the States this year.

We managed to gather all the grands and great-grands at the party for a picture.

It’s nice to have littles running around again. Seems we had a few years where they were scarce. Now the great-grands are beginning to count up.

We have a $10 limit on gifts. Everyone who brings one, recieves one. This year, we had the children pass them all out. Then I read instructions before each person opened a gift. They could follow the instructions or open the gift they had. Instructions were things like: Trade your gift with someone younger than you are; Trade with someone wearing a sweater; Trade with someone who has a birthday in December. It was a lot of fun!

As a surprise for my Dad, we all went together and had his antique clock repaired. His paternal grandparents bought this clock when they were married in 1902.

The 1902 wedding picture of my Great-grandfather William Otis Ashby and my Great-grandmother Ollie Sims Ashby.

The clock as it was displayed in my grandparents’ home.

We had a great time together, at our family Christmas party. I’m thankful for my family, and especially for my Dad, who loves us all and believes in each one of us. Marry Christmas, Dad!

~~Rhonda