"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" - Part 3

According to the calendar, Christmas was officially over.  For most people the day after Christmas was just a fairly ordinary Sunday.   For my nearest and dearest, however, we did a quick rewind and went back two days.  In our house, Christmas Eve was back!!  Take Two! 

My darling daughter, who knows me pretty much inside out and feels pretty much the same about tradition, didn't even mention her earlier request that we pack up everything and cart it all to her house.  Nope!  Ratchlet, Todd, Maddie, AND Dora, the new dog all came to our house just like always.  Except for all of the doggie paraphernalia they brought, they only had to carry their things one way....home at the end of the evening.

Of course, Maddie discovered the stash of presents from Santa practically the moment she came into the house so she was content that she hadn't lost out on her gifts!  (She is only 9, you know.)

Dora had a grand time exploring our house, she was very well behaved and a pleasure to have as part of our family. It was nice to have a dog around for awhile again.

Ratchlet and M-t-G were feeling fine and even TA, felt a lot better than he had on Friday night.

We pretty much had a repeat of the whole Christmas Eve tradition.  We hadn't eaten most of the food, so even the menu was the same.  We didn't go to look at the decorated houses, but the need to do that wasn't pressing, as Santa had already visited.

We ate, cleaned up, and proceeded to move on to M-t-G's favorite parts....the presents!

Maybe it was an offshoot of having our celebration at the tail end rather than the beginning of Christmas, but one of the best things that happened was that the whole evening was relaxed.  There was none of the usual frenzy.  We took our time and were able to enjoy every one's reactions and presents.  It was lovely!  There was peace and joy and tradition practically dripping over us like honey! 

After we finished the gift giving we took a bit of a break for dessert, Mikey's Pecan Pie....an unqualified success every time he makes one and M-t-G's absolute favorite dessert.  And we finished up with the stockings....always find fun stuff in the stockings!

All of my angst and crankiness from the day before had disappeared.  We listened to Christmas music CDs which meant we got to choose what to hear!  Everyone seemed happy and there were no visible disappointments. 

Of course, like most things, there were certain things that were more memorable than at other times.  To wit:

**  At some point in the evening TA took Dora out in our back yard....and encountered a possum!!  Dora was ready to take on the possum and the possum appeared ready (and able) to make Dora his late night snack.    In fact, the possum was bigger than Dora! It would have been no contest.  TA was able to get Dora back inside without incident, despite Dora's desire to go tangle with the ugly thing in the backyard.

**Every year after M-t-G was born, my mom sent her a new Teddy Bear for Christmas.  Since my mom died when Maddie was just 3 years old, Little Sis, has continued to send Maddie a new bear "from Great Grandma".  I find that so touching and sweet.  One of the best things is that it gives us a moment to stop and remember my mom and the joy and love she shared with us at Christmas.  (It was a great bear this year, L.S.  Nice job!)

**  Mikey's collection of Nutcrackers grew by two!  Larger than standard nutcrackers the two new guys will have to take up residence on the floor (along side the Toy soldier and the Angel).  Nevertheless, they are very unusual and he loved them!

** Because we just flat out ran out of time, for approximately the fourth year in a row, our Christmas tree was only 90% complete.  No garland or draping stars again!  I swear that I will get them on the tree next year!  I miss them!

** Thanks to Amazon wish lists, everyone got at least a couple of things asked for. This is a Good Thing, particularly for the guys....who are THE most difficult people to shop for in the history of the world!! 

** I showed you the happy ending photo the other day.  It turned out pretty well.  Unfortunately of the over 20 photographs taken, that was the ONLY one that wasn't horribly blurred!!  Cameras hate me....truly they do...and they continue to prove it! 

(I wrote about my history with cameras last year.  If you didn't see that post, check it out here: http://mellodeemusings.blogspot.com/2009/11/kodachrome.html  One of my favorite postings and worth the read!)

I do want to assure you that we are NOT the most materialistic people in the universe!   I would like to clarify that despite the impression you may have received from this tale, it's NOT all about the presents themselves....well, except maybe for M-t-G (but after all, she is just 9!)   It's about being together and about the love that accompanies each present and the happiness we find in giving.  It's a tradition learned at my mother's knee.  

Finally we finished our postponed Christmas and it was a rousing success all around; well-worth waiting for.  It was a warm, happy, joyous celebration with the people I love best in the world.  Nobody got run over by a reindeer after all, not even Grandma (uhhh, that would be me!) Our Postponed Christmas was more the personification of "There's No Christmas Like a Home Christmas".  And that is as it should be!

Thank you to all my faithful bloggy friends.  I am grateful for each and every visit and comment.  I hope you had a beautiful holiday as well. 

Oh, just one more thing...."God Bless Us, Every One!"