Christmas Notebook

Each year, we host a large number of people during the holiday season. The annual Christmas Open House is a big draw, as well as the house concert with Nathan George and friends. My family will be here next Sunday for our Christmas party. That’s another large group. We also host small groups from time to time. This year, we will host a house tour and dinner for eight which was an item in the local library’s fund raising auction. The dinner has been postponed due to my mother’s death, but we hope to have it soon.

This season, we also hosted another special group. Five women from my sister’s church drove about 3 1/2 hours for a tour and an afternoon of Christmas fun.

After a tour of the house, the trees, and the decorations, we gathered in the dining room for a Christmas craft. I taught the ladies how to make small gift boxes from Christmas cards. It’s an easy craft project and always a fun way to wrap a small present.

A few weeks prior to the party, I made a set of twelve ornaments showing pictures of our holiday decorating. Each guest chose the one she liked. The ornaments were made from flat glass ornaments, so they fit nicely into the crafted boxes.

Now that everyone had something to put into her Christmas card box, it was time for dessert.

Besides the truffles, Chex Mix and holiday punch, we served Ginger Cake Trifles.

Delicious! I made the same trifle in a bowl for our Christmas Day table. My entire family loved it. We had one left over after the party and DH and DD shared it.

Thanks, ladies, for coming all that way to visit our home. Genny and I had a great time and we hope you will come again!

~~Rhonda

We had a very good Christmas Day. Our son’s family came over around 1:00, and we enjoyed watching the grands open gifts. I told DDIL that it didn’t look like so many gifts when I ordered them… :-}

As our family tradition dictates, DH opened the gathering with a reading of the account of Christ’s birth from the old pulpit Bible from the Mud Creek Presbyterian Church (established in 1838 and sited where the Old Salem Cemetery is located in Washington County, IL).

Twin2 couldn’t stand it. She wanted to open presents NOW!

Stockings are always fun. Thanks to DD#2 and DD#3 for doing my stocking shopping for me this year. And I still managed to slip a few surprises into their stockings.

During the afternoon, we skyped with DS#2 and his wife. Love technology! We watched them open our gifts to them and they were able to watch us open their gifts to us.

Twin1 loved her magic wand. She walked around saying “presto!” to everything she waved her wand at.

We stopped for a “bread break.” When it’s time to form the rolls you need to stop and do it. The twins LOVE to help Ma make rolls and buns.

The twins wrapped this package for DD#1. They couldn’t agree on paper, so they used both kinds.

New situations don’t bother Amy. She was very interested in what was going on.

Anyone else get a knitted Dalek for Christmas?

All those wonderful toys and they like bubble wrap better.

We had a nice leisurely day. I enjoyed it. The grands ended up staying overnight and we were able to enjoy their company on Monday, as well.

Most of all, we rejoice in God’s great love and provision on our behalf. Thanking Him for the birth, life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

~~Rhonda