This weekend we hosted Thanksmas Swap (I mentioned our tradition in this post), our annual party for our friends to celebrate Thanksgiving & Christmas (& the holiday season in general). After eating a yummy meal with our friends that we are so fortunate to be surrounded with, we participate in a friendly yet competitive Yankee Swap. You were excited all day that we were hosting a party, & this year's celebration was bigger & more festive than any other year.
Dinner was so yummy. Your daddy had found a new recipe for the turkey. There were stuffed mushrooms & mashed potatoes & canned yams & green bean casserole & cranberry sauce & rolls. I'm going into a turkey coma just thinking about it. Everything tasted so good & it was so special to have dinner with a group of people that hold such special places in our hearts.
You ate so well, but, of course, your favorites were the desserts. There were many desserts. We have so much leftover, we will be eating chocolate balls & peanut butter squares & gingerbread cookies with pumpkin spread for months.
After dinner, you "cooked food" for us out of your kitchen. Everyone thought your cooking was the yummiest.
Sadly, it was time for you to go to bed but also time for Yankee Swap. There were lots of Swaps. Gifts included a book of Chuck Norris quotes, an awkward family photo calendar, a rice cooker, a snow ball maker, an ugly Christmas sweatshirt, an electronic dart board, and even an axe. The gift favorite of the night: a Batman snuggie with a hood. Guess who the lucky winner was...your Daddy. He's pretty much worn it ever since. It's possible that we're going to have to stage an intervention soon.
An enthusiastic Rock Band concert concluded our night (when we get older, we are going to be so embarrassing to you).
Our Thanksmas Swap is one of the many reasons I enjoy the holiday season. One of the things this season is to me is a reminder to put other things aside to spend time with those you love. The month of December is filled with gatherings with those we love & that is one of the greatest gifts the season brings.
At the end of the year, I start to think of ways I would like to do things differently next year. I hope that next year I can be a little better at putting things aside to spend time with those who are special to us more often the whole year through. Dinner, a cup of coffee, frisbee in the park, a movie night. I hope 2012 is filled with adventures with the ones we love.
I love you so,
Mommy
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