Christmas in Carolina - 2015
In the interest of getting the holiday documented in this space at all (the beginning of a blog about Christmas last year is still sitting in the archives as a draft...), I'm dividing and conquering the large number of pictures we took throughout the season. Here is a glimpse of some of our Christmasy activities in North Carolina; the festivities of Christmas Day are the subject of another pending post.
Opening pre-Christmas presents with Grammy
Last year, we started what has the makings of a new tradition - a white elephant gift exchange at my mom's house. It's a great way for us to celebrate with Jamie's kids, and it gets everyone together before the holidays get too crazy and everyone gets too busy with their various plans. We spend $20 on the kind of stuff we actually want to receive, have a dessert potluck, and spend some time chatting and playing games. This year, because we were going to be in Georgia for Christmas, Grammy let Naomi open some of her Christmas presents at the white elephant party. These were her first gifts of the year, and she was really pretty unsure about the whole thing - she didn't love making a mess with the wrapping paper, and she seemed suspicious about whether or not this cool stuff was actually hers for the keeping. In spite of those initial reservations, both her horse and Cinderella are now prominent fixtures in her life.
Decorating Christmas cookies with the Barneses
This year, Naomi experienced her first foray into the Barnes family cookie-decorating tradition. Needless to say, she loved it; more surprisingly, she was just as interested in decorating as she was in eating. Drew missed this bit of Christmas fun, an occupational hazard of having a 9-to-5 occupation, but, considering how much Naomi enjoyed this tradition, I have no doubt that there will be many more years of tacky-yet-delicious Christmas cookies in our future. While we were at Joe and Katie's, Etta stopped by! She and Carrie were visiting Ansley and Taylor here in Raleigh for two weeks, and came over one day while everyone else, like Drew, was working. In spite of their extended stay, we didn't get to spend much time with them; Naomi threw up in the parking lot of Ansley and Taylor's apartment complex as soon as we arrived to celebrate New Year's Eve with all of them. Quite the bummer, but I'm glad Naomi got to meet this special great-grandmother of hers (and the source of some of her favorite books) at least once.
Opening her big gift from Mom and Dad
We spent Christmas in Georgia this year with my dad and Kandi, meaning that we had some hard decisions to make about which address to give Santa for his Christmas Eve deliveries. In the end, Naomi's smaller toys were delivered to Georgia, and we opted to leave her big present from us - a new (to her) kitchen - at home. The morning after we got back from Georgia, we did Christmas morning part two, and let Naomi wake up to find it waiting for her. Nannie and Kandi had given her some great pots and pans and a tea set; between those and all of the food, plates, utensils, and appliances that came with it, I dare say her kitchen is better stocked (and probably better used) than mine is.
Up next: Christmas Day!
Decorating the tree
I tried to do this one night, just Naomi and I, and I kept turning around to find her completely wrapped up in garland with ornaments on each finger. So, I gave up until Drew could join in the fun (and the madness). Once she got the idea, Naomi actually had just as much fun putting decorations on the tree as taking them off. Still, our tree wouldn't have won any contests this year; anything glass was limited to the top two feet, and by Christmas, all of the ornaments on the lower branches had clumped together, by some design or game of Naomi's. I sure do love a Christmas tree, and Naomi caught that fever this year, too. Her first act of each day all season was to demand that the lights be turned "on! on!" and we happily obliged.
Meeting Santa (or not)
This year, our ward hosted a really fun pajama and waffles Christmas party, complete with local musical talent and a guest appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Claus. I had been thinking about taking Naomi to visit with Santa at the mall for a few weeks, but the long line and the $50 pricetag for prints changed my mind. Good thing we didn't waste the time or the money, because it turns out that Old St. Nick is one of the few things (or people) on the planet of whom Naomi is desperately afraid. We didn't discuss Santa or presents too much this year (and Naomi was a little overwhelmed by both); maybe better prep will help her warm up to those parts of Christmas next year. Santa did give her a candycane, which pretty much made her week, but she was careful to keep a safe distance from him (and a death grip on her mama) for the rest of the party.Opening pre-Christmas presents with Grammy
Last year, we started what has the makings of a new tradition - a white elephant gift exchange at my mom's house. It's a great way for us to celebrate with Jamie's kids, and it gets everyone together before the holidays get too crazy and everyone gets too busy with their various plans. We spend $20 on the kind of stuff we actually want to receive, have a dessert potluck, and spend some time chatting and playing games. This year, because we were going to be in Georgia for Christmas, Grammy let Naomi open some of her Christmas presents at the white elephant party. These were her first gifts of the year, and she was really pretty unsure about the whole thing - she didn't love making a mess with the wrapping paper, and she seemed suspicious about whether or not this cool stuff was actually hers for the keeping. In spite of those initial reservations, both her horse and Cinderella are now prominent fixtures in her life.
Decorating Christmas cookies with the Barneses
This year, Naomi experienced her first foray into the Barnes family cookie-decorating tradition. Needless to say, she loved it; more surprisingly, she was just as interested in decorating as she was in eating. Drew missed this bit of Christmas fun, an occupational hazard of having a 9-to-5 occupation, but, considering how much Naomi enjoyed this tradition, I have no doubt that there will be many more years of tacky-yet-delicious Christmas cookies in our future. While we were at Joe and Katie's, Etta stopped by! She and Carrie were visiting Ansley and Taylor here in Raleigh for two weeks, and came over one day while everyone else, like Drew, was working. In spite of their extended stay, we didn't get to spend much time with them; Naomi threw up in the parking lot of Ansley and Taylor's apartment complex as soon as we arrived to celebrate New Year's Eve with all of them. Quite the bummer, but I'm glad Naomi got to meet this special great-grandmother of hers (and the source of some of her favorite books) at least once.
Opening her big gift from Mom and Dad
We spent Christmas in Georgia this year with my dad and Kandi, meaning that we had some hard decisions to make about which address to give Santa for his Christmas Eve deliveries. In the end, Naomi's smaller toys were delivered to Georgia, and we opted to leave her big present from us - a new (to her) kitchen - at home. The morning after we got back from Georgia, we did Christmas morning part two, and let Naomi wake up to find it waiting for her. Nannie and Kandi had given her some great pots and pans and a tea set; between those and all of the food, plates, utensils, and appliances that came with it, I dare say her kitchen is better stocked (and probably better used) than mine is.
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