Christmas in our family is typically reserved for Kerrie's side of the family for two main reasons: they were raised with Christmas and my side was not, and they have an annual family party the first Saturday after Christmas which includes practically the entire side of Kerrie's dad's family; about 70 people.
This year, Kerrie's parents and siblings came to visit us with their entire families which meant there were 15 people living less than cozily in our house. The arrivals started on Tuesday December 22 with the family of the kid's Uncle Kevin's who flew into LaGuardia airport (including Nico who was sporting his new man-voice and Aidan who was busy practicing how to beg Santa for a cell phone), their Aunt Christine's family who came on Thursday December 24 with new baby Petra (not so new at 7 months), and Kerrie's parents who drove up from Pennsylvania with their Aunt Tracy who previously flew into Philadelphia. They stayed until after Christmas and then we all drove down to Kerrie's parents near Wilmington, DE through to New Year's day. That meant that all of us got to spend 12 full days of Christmas with each other; sharing the same space, bedrooms, toilets, showers, habits, noises, air...how do polygamists stand being married to so many people?!?!
Anyway, here are the Steele holiday traditions:
Making a Gingerbread House (because gingerbread men need a place to live, too)
Expanding our carbon footprint
Grandpa reads 'Twas the Night Before Christmas on, well, the night before Christmas.
Rudolph stops by (the shirt says, "The Big Guy knows I'm nice.")
Uncle Kevin takes the pictures (well, not this one)
Lev lights up the Christmas Floor.............Dad finds a tree that fits inside the house
Fondue on Christmas Eve (because apparently that's what they did in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago)
Building a Snowgirl (of course, you need snow and a girl)
Making a snow angel (of course, you need snow and an angel)
Daniel yearning for more presents and Mom yearning for more coffee
Bringing new babies or fiancés to the Family Party (cousin Petra makes her debut)
Merry Christmas to all.
This year, Kerrie's parents and siblings came to visit us with their entire families which meant there were 15 people living less than cozily in our house. The arrivals started on Tuesday December 22 with the family of the kid's Uncle Kevin's who flew into LaGuardia airport (including Nico who was sporting his new man-voice and Aidan who was busy practicing how to beg Santa for a cell phone), their Aunt Christine's family who came on Thursday December 24 with new baby Petra (not so new at 7 months), and Kerrie's parents who drove up from Pennsylvania with their Aunt Tracy who previously flew into Philadelphia. They stayed until after Christmas and then we all drove down to Kerrie's parents near Wilmington, DE through to New Year's day. That meant that all of us got to spend 12 full days of Christmas with each other; sharing the same space, bedrooms, toilets, showers, habits, noises, air...how do polygamists stand being married to so many people?!?!
Anyway, here are the Steele holiday traditions:
Making a Gingerbread House (because gingerbread men need a place to live, too)
Expanding our carbon footprint
Grandpa reads 'Twas the Night Before Christmas on, well, the night before Christmas.
Rudolph stops by (the shirt says, "The Big Guy knows I'm nice.")
Uncle Kevin takes the pictures (well, not this one)
Lev lights up the Christmas Floor.............Dad finds a tree that fits inside the house
Fondue on Christmas Eve (because apparently that's what they did in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago)
Building a Snowgirl (of course, you need snow and a girl)
Making a snow angel (of course, you need snow and an angel)
Daniel yearning for more presents and Mom yearning for more coffee
Bringing new babies or fiancés to the Family Party (cousin Petra makes her debut)
Merry Christmas to all.
