This is how it started.

Back when I was a young teenager, our family gift exchange started moving around. First it was Christmas Eve, then it was Christmas morning, then it was Christmas mid-morning after brunch, then Christmas post-lunch, then Christmas evening. The kicker was one year in my high school days when our gift exchange move to the day after Christmas.

My sister, Carla, and I decided that we were going to start an additional gift exchange that would remain on Christmas Eve. No one else joined us so it has since been a tradition for the two of us to have our own gift exchange on Christmas Eve. We have rarely been able to do this gift exchange in person, but with the advancements in technology, we can now do our gift exchange as close as possible; via FaceTime, a big step up from phone calls.

Kevin and I have long reserved Christmas Eve for us as a family. It’s the one part of the holidays that we want to keep for ourselves. So we relaxed and hung out, watched a movie, ate some pizza, and laughed together. We went to the Christmas Eve service at church where I made Sara do her Sarah Palin voice in regards to how hot it was in the sanctuary. (“It’s just so gosh darn hot in here. I’m just going to sweat right through this gosh darn blouse I’m wearing.”)

Christmas morning was as relaxing as they come. We made breakfast, stayed in our pajamas, and lounged until noon, when we headed to my parents’ house in Kalona. The rest of the day was a chaotic mess of the joy that comes with a large family…and the overflowing of food that can only come from my mother’s kitchen.

As is tradition for as long as I can remember, Dad reads Luke 2 before we open gifts. Then the kids distribute the presents and the youngest one, in this case, Kylie, starts the opening ceremonies. Really, no ceremony at all, but due to the tamper-proof wrapping, several pocket-knives make their appearances to aid in the process. And always, by the time the adults get around to opening their gifts, the children are long-gone already playing with their own and our group gets smaller and smaller until it morphs into naps on the couch and peaceful lounging.

My parents’ dog, Sam, had puppies 3 weeks ago. Dad felt especially merry this Christmas because he brought them inside and let Sam come in as well. The puppies were cuddled and squished and loved on and I begged Kevin that we must get a dog.

With the puppies back in their hay bale nest out in the barn, we settled in for several rounds of CatchPhrase and more food, a table-full of sweets, treats, and leftovers.

To my favorite holiday of all with my favorite people. Cheers.

(More photos are here.)