Message board topic:

Our Christmas is basically done now.  Cheri's family always had the unusual tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve, and since we got together, we always have.  We waited until the kids were in their playroom, (which doubles as my man cave) and I brought the presents out of the bedroom and stacked them under the tree.

We had to work around everybody's work schedules.  Her son got off work at one time and her grandson had to go to work after that.  So, we had Christmas in between.

There was the usual wrapping paper and empty box mess.  Planning ahead I saved a large box to put all the wrapping paper in.

All Karly had asked for was books, and she did get a bunch, along with a personalized stamp to emboss all her books.  By now, all of her books are embossed with her name.  All Seth asked for was a gaming microphone and a gaming keyboard.  Of course, they got all that and more, but the most prized gifts were a Chromebook for each of them.  I got mine early, (a camera) because Cheri had to stop me from going out to buy one.  Cheri got a ring early because she had to pick it out, but so that she'd still have something to open today, she got an electric blanket.

Christmas day we'll visit Cheri's family, just 6 or 8 blocks away.  I got really lucky in that I really like her family, and they apparently like me.

Merry Christmas everybody!  John

When I was young tween and earlier, I remember we oened some gifts on Christmas Eve. Perhaps it is not as odd as it may feel to you? I had friends who were Orthadox Catholics and opened gifts on 3 Kings day not Christmas day too.

Ahh, I am glad you all got things you wanted and had a good time and have another celebration today! It sounds like a great time yesterday and today!

Yesterday evening I went to Christmas Eve mass at the close CHurch, not the Cathedral I go to, because it was a lot closer. It was crowded as heck and it overflowed from the main Church into the lobby area (a BIG area with seats and a kitchen) and into the side room (a really big room and they set up a screen there showing the main alter and priest). I endded up in the side room, but I still enjoyed it.

This morning I pulled out a box I had found in the closet a month ago and it was a gift for me. It was a Christmas gift my mother had given me before she went in the nursing home, so I assume it was from about 2010 to 2014 (after then she really could not drive well and would not have gone to the mall to get things). It was not wrapped (I opened it back then), but had the wrapping paper in the box and the gift card. I never wore it because I was not happy with something from it, size, color or perhaps I just forgot to ever put it in my drawer and so it was left in the gift box with the paper and card. But this morning my mother (who passed in 2022) gave me a sweater! It was nice to get. :)

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

It may be more common than I know that people open gifts on Christmas Eve.  Our family had the practice of opening one gift on Christmas Eve, and everything else was opened Christmas morning, which was usually about 5:00 AM, hours before sunrise and the time we normally got up.

It's so great that 3 years after, you got a present from your mother.  I do have a room full of things I got from my Mom.  Books, posters, a few old toys...  I think about it all the time.  John

Those messages sure got me teary eyed......

Lady Bootsie, I'm sorry I can't give you more than a big cyber-hug.  I'm sorry I can't give everybody a big cyber-hug.

One of the things Karly got was a guitar tuner.  She's turning into quite a musician, (guitar and clarinet).  It took a while to get used to the tuner but I could help there.  She strongly resists learning the "bar chord" though, which I assured her, was pretty much essential, and I remember having some trouble with it when I was a kid.  John