Christmas Eve

Christmas 2015

We’ve had another fun Markel Family Christmas!

Our celebration began yesterday, with our traditional “pick out dinner,” which this year, was actually a “pick out lunch.” I love that it’s never exactly the same two years in a row! I was happy to add an actual cheese board to our spread this year, which came in handy for three of the six cheeses we had. We also enjoyed five types of crackers, two dips with tortilla chips, summer sausage, Volpi roltini, buffalo Chex mix, sausage squares, Mexican cheese squares, pizza bagels, mozzarella sticks, and peppers stuffed with ranch dressing flavored cream cheese:

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Of course I always take a zillion pictures on Christmas Eve…I was very happy with the results!

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We did do something new this year. Since the oldest four children are singing with the children’s Kantorei at Hope Lutheran in St. Louis, we went to church there on Christmas Eve. It was a beautiful service, and their singing was wonderful!

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Back home, we lit all of the Advent wreath’s candles, enjoyed Jesus’s birthday cake, and opened one present each. As is our tradition, Ryan and I played a game of Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries, and I hung up our Christmas banner before (reluctantly) going to bed.

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Early Christmas morning, we searched for the pickle on the Christmas tree (to see who would get to hand out presents later), opened stockings (Chickadee got a toy camera so she can continue to pretend to be me!), and enjoyed my special cherry Christmas coffee cake:

Then we went to our church for the Christmas Day Divine Service. Turkey and Bunny were very excited to not just be acolytes, but also torch-bearers in the processional:

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When we got home, we had lunch, and then listened to Ryan read the Christmas story from Luke 2. I loved how intently Bunny listened, and I was amused that Chickadee played along with the story with our Little People nativity scene…I don’t think any of our other children ever did that!

And then we opened presents. I think everyone loved their gifts, especially all of the Lego gifts!

It has been a very happy Christmas indeed, and the celebration is just beginning. I’m looking forward to the full 12 days of Christmas…who knows what’s in store?

Christmas 2014

If you’ve ever wondered what a Markel family Christmas looks like, here’s your chance to find out!

The celebration begins on Christmas Eve, with what we have come to call the “pick-out dinner.” This is an appetizer meal we have in the late afternoon before church, and everyone gets to “pick out” one thing that I’ll make or buy. It’s one of our favorite meals of the year!

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Before we leave for church, I harass the children and make them let me take pictures…lots and lots of pictures!

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Then it’s time to head to church for the children’s Christmas program. This year, Turkey played the part of Gabriel, while Bunny was the head angel, Moose was a shepherd, and Ladybug got to be Mary for the second time. They all did a great job!

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After church, we head home, light all the candles in the Advent wreath, and enjoy Jesus’ birthday cake.

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Before bed, everyone gets to open one present. For the children, this means new jammies. The boys loved the Yetis I found for them, and the girls thought their bears were cute. I got a new pair of Cardinals slippers! (Not pictured is Ryan’s new Tardis sleep pants.)

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Once the children are more or less in bed, Ryan and I put the presents under the tree, fill the stockings, arrange the Little People nativity scene, and then settle down to play Ticket to Ride Nordic Countries while we watch the San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker.

In the morning, before church, the children are allowed to open their stockings, and we enjoy a leisurely breakfast of coffee cake (and stocking candy!).

We then head back to church for the Christmas Day Divine Service. After the service is over, I try to get one more group shot of the children.

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We have lunch when we get home, and then get down to present opening.

The aftermath of the gift exchange is always quite the sight to see!

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After the presents have been opened, and the mess more or less cleaned up, the rest of the day is very relaxed. The children usually play with whatever they received, while we watch Christmas movies (or Doctor Who!), and listen to Christmas music. No big feast for us on Christmas Day…we save that for the day after Christmas. Instead, we enjoy what’s left of the appetizers and the birthday cake from the night before.

That’s our Christmas. It’s always a fun, special day. I hope your Christmas was similarly merry and bright!

Christmas 2013

This was another spectacular Christmas in the Markel house!

Last night, I tried to get a nice picture of all five children in their Christmas finery. Chickadee was not thrilled.

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I did get a lot of nice individual pictures, though.

Ladybug went and lost one of her two front teeth in the middle of all of this…that’s definitely a Christmas memory!

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The children had their Christmas program last night. They all did a great job!

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After we got home, I tried to get a nice picture of all of them in their new Christmas jammies. Again, Chickadee was not thrilled.

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She was more cooperative after church this morning, though!

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The children had fun opening presents after church, of course.

And they had fun playing with (or wearing), their new gifts. Some highlights were a new bunny that Bunny got from her big brother, a David Freese jersey for Moose (still his favorite player, even if he isn’t a Cardinal anymore), and a wee rolling-pin for Chickadee from Daddy, just like Princess Estelle has!

We all had a very happy Christmas!

The “Pick Out Dinner”

Having a smorgasbord of appetizers on Christmas Eve has become a family tradition, quite by accident. The one year I was thinking about not doing it, Turkey and Bunny protested (loudly!), and I realized that this is probably their favorite meal of the year. I always try to have a few things every person will enjoy, and the children all get to “pick out” what they want–no one is required to try anything they don’t want to, and if they don’t like something, they don’t have to finish it. Of course, I make enough food for a family twice our size, so we’ll be eating appetizers for quite a while, but it’s a special family tradition that I wouldn’t trade for anything!