Christmas Recap

All good things must come to an end I guess. I love Christmas. The moments leading up to Christmas, carols playing, candelight Christmas Eve service, Christmas morning. Gift giving and receiving, Christmas afternoon naps. All of it. So I guess I will have to wait until next year, but I wanted to share with you some of the fun from this Christmas!

This is NOT tea. 

Right after my birthday, I got sick. With bronchitis. I could.not.stop.coughing. I had no voice, and no energy. It was horrible. I suffered with a cold/sinus crud all through Christmas.

The days leading up to Christmas were a complete blur. I worked, then was usually out running errands until 9 then came home and got prepped for the big day. One trip I did enjoy was getting my favorite Wedgewood Pizza.

Christmas Eve Eve I worked a half day. I came home and finished wrapping some gifts. Luckily, there wasn't a whole lot left to wrap! Then I made my Italian butter, and salad dressing for Christmas Eve dinner.

Christmas Eve my mom and I made our homemade manicotti. We stuffed them with all of the ricotta goodness, and got them ready to be baked for our early afternoon meal. After the manicotti was made, I made my creme de menthe brownies for dessert. I made these for a church dinner, and didn't even get to enjoy one, so I wanted to make a refreshing dessert for after dinner.

At 1:30 our guests came for dinner. We served the meal in courses, with our wedding soup course being first. Next came salad, then manicotti. Finally, it was time for coffee and dessert!

Church was at 6:00, so after everyone left we got ready to head to the candlelight service. It was almost 65 degrees, so it was unseasonably warm. Not your usual Pennsylvania December. Picking out an outfit was a challenge. Haha!

After church, my family came back to the house and we munched on some snacks, and they headed back home.

Here is where traditions get kind of bent. My parents and I opened all of our gifts on Christmas Eve. I know. What is wrong with us? We host Christmas morning breakfast, so it is just easier for us to open our gifts then, so we have the morning to prepare food, etc. Now when I have kids, we will open on Christmas Day, but for this season of life, Christmas Eve works for us.

(Check back later this week for a "What I got for Christmas" post!)

As I said earlier, we host Christmas, so I had all of my family out for Christmas breakfast! We have the same thing every year. Quiche, hard boiled eggs, ham, toast, and my Bubba's nut roll. Well, we might have snuck a few cookies into the mix as well!

It was time to open gifts from my grandparents, and aunt and uncle. We all did our exchanges, oohed and ahhed. Everyone left, and we took a siesta. Haha!

Later that evening, everyone came back out for ham sandwiches, potato salad and dips and snacks.



Just like that, it was over.

How was your Christmas? Tell me about it! Leave me a comment and let me know!