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Almost all of us sisters: Marilee, Lara, B, Sheri & Monet (we missed you Darlin!) |
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| My mom was teaching Todd's daughter Keely how to skate as well. |
As old-fashioned as it sounds, the best part about Christmas isn't the presents, I believe it is getting together with family and having a fun time together. Since Monet sent out an email asking everyone to vote on whether they wanted to draw names this year or do something different, the majority came back as having voted for a white-elephant gift giving party at the rink with everyone bringing soup to share. I loved it and thought it was a great idea. I think everyone had a good time, skating the night away, playing hockey, eating yummy soup and getting warm, followed by the white elephant game.
Everyone took turns drawing a number and then choosing a gift and either trading the gift or keeping it. Most everyone took home a gift that they really wanted and no one felt as though they had to spend a lot of money. Sitting around our candlelit warming hut on the day after Christmas—my favorite night of the whole year (after I recover from the real thing)—eating soup with my parents and my children and my sisters and their families, our hut snug and festive and softly lit, suffused with joy and anticipation. Watching the joy on my mom's face as she unwrapped my gift to her: a much needed, coveted watch from her favorite store and a new Christmas CD.
The look on my youngest niece's face when she opened my youngest son’s white elephant gift: a little dolphin that makes noises and lights up and a bag of gummy bears.
My mom gazed up at me with love and adoration, then with tears in her eyes; I watched as she put two of her fingers up to her lips and then turned them to me, my own chest tight to bursting.
That was, hands down, the best Christmas moment of all.
