Christmas Constitutional

I wanted to end blogmas with our Christmas Day usual. Obviously, things are a little different, but after a hiatus last year, I finally get to celebrate Christmas with my family again. I know that isn’t the case for everyone, but we are all double vaccinated, grandma has her booster and we all keep small social circles lately.

Christmas is busy. I am exhausted once Christmas is over, but my heart is full. And my pants hardly fit. But it’s always such a fun time and it was a bummer not to be able to celebrate together last year.

The clan is back and ready to eat until we can eat no more.

Christmas Morning

The morning of consists of myself, Jason, and Brie sleeping in. It’s about to get crazy, and we don’t have children, so we have the luxury of turning alarms off and rolling with the day as it comes. Usually, we’re both up around 8, but it’s always fun to try and sleep in.

We put Brie’s jammies back on, make spiked eggnog lattes, which this year will be oat nog and let the games begin. If I have in fact prepped breakfast the day before, I will go ahead and pop in the oven. Lately, Jason has taken over, but I’m taking back control this year 🙂

We grab stockings and let lunatic Brie destroy tissue and wrapping paper and discover what’s in her stocking. We open ours, which sometimes Brie can’t help herself, and starts helping us. If we’re doing presents to each other, we’ll open them after. We clean up the mess, place the gifts back under the tree that doesn’t contain food, and eat some breaky. Clean up from breakfast, shower and get ready.

Trying to keep the dog calm during Christmas is always fun, but she gets excited because she knows what’s next. She was exceptionally disappointed last year that she didn’t get to go see Zoe. I guess Maui was chopped liver to her last Christmas 😉

Christmas Afternoon

Now that it is just us, as my sister has moved out of province, we get the car packed up and head out to my aunt’s house where we will stay overnight because our Christmas goes well past midnight. Brie loses her mind as soon as we get off the highway, and once we’re parked she bolts for the front door, first peeing on the front lawn to let everyone in the neighbourhood know she has arrived.

My aunt has a ton of snacks out, and we all chat and catch up, all while filling up on food before dinner. Cocktails, wine, beer – whatever you prefer – are flowing, and I’m usually reminding Brie to leave the tree alone. Brie and Zoe are in and out of the backyard, especially if there’s snow on the ground, which is hardly ever. Brie and Zoe are getting just as many snacks as we are, as much as my aunt and grandma deny they do it on purpose. Mmmm okay, sure.

Christmas Dinner

Not full yet from all the snacks? Enter in the typical Christmas day feast. This consists of turkey, mashed potatoes, mashed yams, cheesy cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, mixed veggies, stuffing (my fave), cranberry sauce and gravy. Legit, all the fixin’s!

There is always plenty leftover so we can make turkey buns the following day before heading home. So, so, SO good!

Let the games begin

If anyone from our family says they’re not competitive, they’re a bold-faced liar. Some are more competitive than others, but we’re all a little bit crazy. I’m going to excuse the spouses here – Jason and Colton specifically – as they’re both pretty laidback guys and aren’t as crazy. We’re going to put Colton beside grandma this year. If he can survive it, the wedding goes ahead next year 😉

Saranball is something you gotta come prepared for. Elbows up, and hands ready to roll the dice and unwrap the ball, consisting of little gifts throughout. This game can get partially violent, but it’s all in good fun.

This year we’re doing a gift exchange but in years previous we would sit down and exchange gifts for each other. It’ll be interesting to see how this steal-a-ble gift exchange goes …it’ll be a part of vlogmas on YouTube so if you’re not following me there, go ahead and subscribe. All the vlogmas videos are in a playlist so you can binge if that’s your thing!

More food

I’m not kidding you guys. At this point, we all throw on jam jams so we’re more comfortable. More comfortable for dessert and spiked coffees. Unless you’re grandma, in which case it’s been just coffee for you already!

Eggnog cheesecake is divided amongst the fam, and people make their own spiked coffees with whatever makes them happy. There are still of course all the other little treats out like shortbread, butter tarts and chocolate peanut butter squares.

As the clock strikes midnight …

Or somewhere around there, we round up some more snacks, a bunch of pillows and blankets and pop in a movie. If you read my December traditions post, then you’ll know what’s about to be watched. Are you ready for it?

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Titanic goes on, but only after midnight. Only Christmas movies can be watched throughout December up until and on Christmas.

Ummm, has anyone told my aunt yet that there is football on during Christmas day? Oh boy. 

No, I don’t know how this started, but it’s now a tradition and yes we often make a drinking game out of it. Oh, and yes – we can repeat the majority of the lines word for word. This is usually when Brett makes himself disappear when they’re in town. Not that you can escape it – I think the whole neighbourhood listens to Titanic with us!

No rest for the wicked on Christmas

Christmas day is jam-packed full of fun, laughter, food and a wee bit of competitiveness. The earliest we’ve ever gone to sleep is like three in the morning but it almost feels as if no time has passed and then bam! It’s three or four in the morning. Everyone takes a wee nap, and we’re all just insanely lazy all day the next day. Unless there is snow. If there’s snow, we go to the park and throw snowballs at each other and the dogs.

Us kids of the family are starting our own families so Christmas won’t always stay this way. Will we celebrate on a different day? It’s highly likely. The fact my cousin has the day off and she’s a nurse, is incredible and shocking.

What do you do every year on Christmas? Whether you celebrate Christmas or not? My inlaws go out to eat every Christmas day. At least, they used to. No one did anything last year *insert nervous laughter here*