Joyeux Noel

Christmas got bigger and bigger and more and more festive until it reached a fever pitch yesterday. Christmas dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's was deemed the best meal we have ever eaten. Roast beef and gravy and ham, salads, potatoes, jello, slush and all the Christmas treats you can imagine. Immediately following the meal, I vowed to take a week off from food. I then proceeded to eat candy and cookies non-stop throughout the evening. Marlene bakes a legendary amount of goodies, and I try to do my part to get to the bottom of those tins and tupperwares, but they seem to be bottomless.
The grandkids entertained us with playing instruments and singing. Collin, Freestone and Jakey rehearsed quite a bit for their French version of Jingle Bells, "Vive le Vent." It was so cute to hear them practicing! Jake chickened out, but Free and Collin hung in there and it was adorable. Santa Claus came to the party at the end of our little musical program and had a chat with each child. Uncle Ryan was in the bathroom and missed the whole Santa thing! I can't even describe the mayhem that ensued, with 20 kids and 14 adults throwing wrapping paper around and shouting their thanks as we all exchanged gifts. We all got the perfect things! Jenny and Jeremy had interviewed each child and grandchild about what they love about Bruce and Marlene and made a DVD, which we watched. It was wonderful.

When the party was over, it wasn't easy to get all the kids to the car with my mouth, hands and pockets full of Marlene's goodies, and carrying a big tray of them, but we did get everyone bundled up and said our goodbyes. Coco and Bill were waiting for us to read the Bible story with them and open one present. The Bible story went well. Everyone hushed long enough to listen to Bill read out of the huge antique Bible. It must have been right after "And Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" that the sugar hit the kids' bloodstreams. All I remember after that was Coco and six kids trying to assemble a fragile music box, which was the one gift we opened, and Bill holding the instructions, screaming, "It says THIS IS NOT A TOY! EXCLAMATION MARK! THIS IS NOT A TOY!" Then I have a vague memory of flinging kids into the car like logs on a fire, barking, "Do you want Santa to come or not!?!" At that moment, it occurred to me that if Santa saw me chucking kids and heard them grunting as they hit the back seat, I might not get anything, so I tried to behave.

Next thing you know, it was Christmas morning and dreams were coming true. Santa came! I'm calling it the Best Christmas Ever. I wish I had pictures to prove it, but the camera is buried under wrapping paper somewhere. Thank you, Santa. You really got everything perfect this year. You have a knack for this gift-giving gig, and all the planning and preparation that it takes to pull it off. And thanks to Bruce and Marlene and Coco and Bill, who have been making Christmas magic for us for about 38 years. We love you!