Christmas, part 6

1. Hanging of the greens. The church service during which we sing carols, watch a play, and make very long garlands which are carried into the sanctuary during the caroling and hung on the back wall.

2. Christmas with K's family. Moved this year from 12/24 to 12/23 to allow my children to participate in church services on Christmas eve, we feasted on salmon and beef fillet and delighted in cousins and aunts and uncles of all ages and sizes.

3. Christmas eve at church. Candle lighting and softly singing and meeting W's new sweetheart. Home to luminaria lining our street and early bed-time.

4. Christmas actually. Cozy and quiet, in the dark, with just my boys.

5. Christmas with my family. My brother and his family and my mom come for breakfast. We eat until the point of pain, laugh till our faces hurt and sit around.

And, yesterday, Christmas part 6.
Visiting my Aunt and Uncle for his famous chicken stew and her famous tacky Christmas Card Contest...



A cookbook was given...it has been well appreciated all around.



Stew was eaten. Picturesque isn't it. Several offers of the recipe were made for project cookbook 08. We are still negotiating.



Not tacky.



The judging in progress.

I did well, but not well enough.

Yes, you might think that this lovely card with the adorable face of a baby we've never met looking toward heaven is or isn't tacky per se.



But, when you see the inside of the card it all becomes clear.



Alas. The card from K's banker is only the runner up. Tacky though it may be, it cannot hold a candle to this:



Because nothing says 'Christmas' like a couple with pistols.



The punch.



The kicker.

What can I say? Obviously my Aunt and Uncle have some interesting friends.

We laughed and ate the afternoon away - even if that fabulous looking soppersatta never made it to the table...




And now, with Christmas, we are done.