Christmas 2021 - December 21-December 26

Let me warn you -- lots of pictures and quite a few words . . .yep, that's the truth!!

On the 21st, the day with the least amount of light in the whole year, our church had a service of Loss and Light. We invited all of those who had lost a family member or friend over the last year (actually more like 18-24 months due to covid) to join together at our smaller campus for a worship service. There was beautiful music, a message from one of our associate pastors, and a time where folks could light a candle and bring it to the altar rail remembering those they had lost. We often forget that Christmas isn't all fun and games for everyone. This year, there were three women there from our Sunday School class - all three had lost their spouse this year. One husband had been ill on and off for several years. One husband died in a tragic accident. One husband died of cancer. Another friend was there to support her friend yet she had also suffered a loss this year. I was a greeter for the service and it is one of the most meaningful services to me.

Just two days later, I was back to baking -- back in November, I made a German Chocolate cake and a Funfetti Cake for the November birthdays. Glenn's favorite is pound cake with icing and I just couldn't bake a third cake that week so I promised him one later. Our kids were all available this year to get together on Christmas Eve for our immediate family gathering so I decided to bake the pound cake. I cooked it a tad too long so it was a tad dry and I was sad! In 2022, I need to do more baking.

Our church offered Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion service on December 23 as well as December 24. Mark and I were able to attend the 23rd which meant more seats available for others on the 24th.

Above is one of the
Christmas Eve services.
You can see they needed
our seats!

I love our Christmas Eve services (even on the 23rd)

On the 24th, I actually headed to Publix to pick up the food for the pastors, orchestra, and maintenance staff who would all be working until midnight. I hurried to the church and placed the sandwiches, etc. in the fridge and set up the table and hurried back home to eat lunch and open presents with our family.

she asked for angel wings about 2
days before Christmas and Gran
found them! Yay for me!

After lunch and presents, there was a nap for the little one, some golf cart rides, etc. and then we all headed to the church where our son and daughter-in-law attend. We attended Christmas Eve communion and candlelight with them. Their church meets in a building that used to be a commercial space and it is in a neighborhood. They had a lovely Christmas tree outside and we were able to grab some photos.

us with our two grands

our son, daughter-in-law, and

granddaughter #1

pops and Gran holding our two - it

was wonderful to have our whole

little family on one row

our daughter, son-in-law, and grand #2

We all went our separate ways after the service. We actually stopped and picked up Papa Murphy's pizzas for our dinner and then we all crashed!

Christmas morning arrived and since we had a little in the house, Santa came. We had opened all of our presents the day before so it was quite calm watching the little one open a few presents. It wasn't overwhelming like so many Christmas mornings have been at our house. Our neighbor (in her former life) was a pastry chef and she brought over cinammon rolls on Christmas Eve for us to cook on Christmas morning.

After the little one opened her Santa and we all got dressed, we headed to my mother-in-law's house which is our normal Christmas morning tradition. This year took on special meaning - with her decline in health, we just aren't sure how many more Christmases we might have together. We took lots of photos.

We've always opened presents in her more formal
living room but this year, we gathered around HER
in the den.. Here she is with her 6 grandchildren, two spouses
of those grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
EVERYONE made a special effort to get here this
year.

Here she is with her 4 children (3 sons and 1
daughter) and all of the spouses.

Everyone was unwrapping
presents.

These 3 all received pants from
Duluth this year and have
made lots of jokes using
Duluth's advertising.

These three received hot sauce to use
on their Pit Barrel cookers. I kid you not
- Mark's is triple X - and on the front
of the bottle it says, "Professor
Payne Indeass's Sphincter Shrinker."
He says it is the hottest thing
he has ever put in his mouth.

After brunch (cheese grits, egg casserole, baked apples, doughnuts, pigs in a blanket), they hit the front yard for the annual croquet game where much cheating happens. I actually came on home to our house and took an hour and a half nap. . . in the bed. I was exhausted for some reason.

On Christmas night, Mark went to his cousin's house to get together with some of his first cousin's and their families. He didn't stay long.

Sunday, December 26 found us watching church online.

After church and showers, we headed back over to my mother-in-law's house. This was the first time that we had been with all three of our nephews at the same time in several years so we wanted to maximize our time together and they were only here for a short amount of time.

this was actually after lunch on the
deck - it has been so warm here
all through Christmas - the girls
were having mini ice cream cones
for dessert

they liked these cones!

One of my mother-in-law's FAVORITE things
in the world is to have her family around her
table for Sunday lunch. We were at the
overflow table in her breakfast room.

Here she is - the matriarch at the head of the table
surrounded by her loved ones.

Sunday night found the younger
generation (cousins plus 2 spouses)
gathered for dinner and drinks at our
son and daughter-in-law's home.

I'm going to be honest - we were busy but it was fun and I love these people.

Were you able to be with family for Christmas?