Welcome Winter!
This is my 2023 Stay at Home Round Robin. (finished in March)
It's finally appropriate to display it!
It doesn't quite feel like winter here yet, but that's okay because we were able to play golf on Tuesday. It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed being outdoors and playing our favorite outdoor game. It's supposed to snow over the weekend, so I'm glad we got in a round before winter really does come.
It's almost Christmas - are you ready? We actually had Christmas at our house this past weekend because that's when our older son could come home. It was a nice weekend - good food, lots of games, interesting conversation. I bought us the game "Ticket to Ride" for a new one this year, and everyone liked it. We're still figuring out the strategy, but it's fun to play!
Our question of the week for I Like Thursday is about Christmas traditions. In my family growing up, we always went to church on Christmas Eve, and then went home and got to open one present. We opened all the rest of our presents on Christmas morning, after a posed photograph of my two sisters, my brother, and me coming down the stairs.
As young married people and parents, we would spend Christmas Eve with Mike's family and Christmas Day with mine. That worked out nicely because then there was never any conflict about whose family got the most time on holidays.
Of course, life changes when your kids grow up and leave home. Our sons are not married, but they are busy with their lives and jobs. We have our holidays whenever it works out for everyone to be together. One of our current traditions is to get out the Wii when the guys are home and have a bowling tournament. I always enjoy that!
What kind of Christmas traditions do you have?
Joining in with I Like Thursday at Not Afraid of Color!
13 comments:
You have lovely old and new traditions. As a kid, we would go to my dad's parent's house Christmas Eve. Christmas morning was always at our house with my mom's parents. Christmas Day was often at our house too; but, some years we went to other relatives homes. . . usually on my mom's side of the family. As a newlyweds we would travel the state stopping at each parent and grand parent's home. . .both our parents had divorced and some had other partners. When our kids were mature enough to be interested in Santa, we stayed home and family would come to us. Now that there are two of us, sometimes we gather together in our home, sometimes in our daughter's homes. . .there really is no plan. Sometimes, we celebrate Christmas on a totally different day. . .we have found that it is all good no matter how we do it. it sounds like the same is true for you too!
As with you, traditions change as families age! We now have two grown sons and 11 grandkids ages 2-14. My favorite tradition is we began doing a nativity play with simple costumes for the grands. We've incorporated Christmas carols and one of the dad's reads the Christmas story from Luke 2 as the kids act it out.
So glad you got to have both boys at home for a celebration. It gets so much harder after they get out on their own. Growing up we did Christmas morning with my mom's family, then dad's family in the afternoon. After I was married, we did Christmas eve with my family and Christmas day with My Guy's family (with a 5 hour drive in between). After My Guy's mother passed, all his siblings have their own Christmas celebrations, so now it's just Christmas eve with my family.
That round robin quilt looks gorgeous! Glad you sneaked in a round of golf, you look so cute in your golfing togs. Your game board looks interesting - how fun to sit and have that special time with your family! That's hilarious that you have a bowling tournament - I miss our Wii!
The weather is so odd this year, but it is fun to see you out on the links! We have Ticket to Ride and enjoy it, although we haven't played it in awhile. Your round robin quilt turned out so well - I love the combination borders!
Ticket to Ride is one of our Arkansas family favorites! They have all the expansion versions, too, some of which are beyond my level of comprehension. Heading there for Christmas and I'm sure there will be many rounds of TTR and other games.
when growing up we always had Xmas at home as we were such a large family my grandparents that lived close by always came to us if the weather was ok - one could never tell in Wisconsin. After the family moved to Arkansas things changed of course. When Mike and I moved our family to Arkansas after the military was done we would always drive to mom and dads and stay a night or two and celebrate with all the younger brothers and sisters, most of whom were not married and it was fun with a housefull of kids. (Mike is not close to his family and they never lived nearby)
After mom moved into a small apartment after dad died traditions changed. Then we never knew who was going to host, we would drive up for the day sometimes or sometimes go see mom a couple days early. Now we mainly stay home and sometimes the girls come to us but we don't do the big Xmas with extended family any more
We are in the same boat. Celebrating Christmas and family whenever we can make it happen. We never spend Christmas with my brothers. One goes to Minnesota to be with his kids and grandkids! One is a single guy, rarely with us. He used to spend Christmas with our sister ,but now that she is gone……
We played a new game too. Our son sent us Rummicube, and we played when he was here. Our great grandson played too. He’s a fourth grader and picked up the basics quickly!
We hope to have Christmas with our granddaughter and family that live here, but as of today the littlest is sick! Our son tested positive for Covid yesterday and granddaughter in Vermont tested positive after she got home on the 12th. So far, Mr Busy and I are good! Fingers crossed no one else gets sick!
I love that you are flexible about getting together as we do the same. We have played Ticket to Ride with our kids. It's a fun game.
I admire your adaptability as life moves on; some people get so caught up in the traditions that they can't let go and it creates quite a bit of resentment!
I laughed when I read about your Wii - we have one, but I don't think it works any more!
Joining you from I Like Thursday!
Happy holidays!
Yes! We got to open the one present on Christmas Eve, too! Oh... which one to pick! LOL. We're not hosting Christmas this year, which eases things (but I still need to make a cheesecake!).
nice to have family in for the holidays whether on the exact day or just around the holidays. Your winter project is so sweet. You are very good at working with vague direction and coming out with a pretty project. Merry Christmas!
It is so nice to hear that you were able to celebrate with both of your sons. I like the idea of sitting down and playing games. I am going to have to look into the new game that you purchased. Hmm I need to find our Wii- that would be fun to play as well. The family will come to my house on Christmas Eve . We will eat , chat, the kiddos will make crafts and decorate cookies. On Christmas Day we go to my daughter's in the morning, at dinner to my Mom's and at supper time travel to my in laws. It is a full day. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Hugs.
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