Christmas Day

Christmas Day was unlike any other day our family has ever experienced. From the moment we awoke - an hour earlier than the law should allow- beautiful, giant snowflakes fell to the ground. Because we live in the South, snow of any kind is somewhat exceptional. However, when the worn-out weatherman, donning rolled-up sleeves and a questionable sweater vest, severely broadcasts impending ice and/or snow, folks in our area race to the grocery store in response with paranoid excitement, as though bread and milk the answer to the potential evil of black ice.



According to Georgian historians, snow has not fallen on Christmas day in 150 years. A rare occurrence that found families all over our state peering from windows in disbelief, as if dollar bills were floating down from the sky, declaring all Georgia residents the long shot winners in the weather lottery.

With a fire roaring and tree lights blinking, the silent snow provided the perfect background for a picturesque Christmas Day only highlighted by the reactions of a few silly elves and a sleepy-headed little girl.





Santa’s dubious gift selections this year were a little surprising. However, compared to the arsenal given the previous Christmas, the theme was arguably more peaceful. While Rocky may seem to be a movie about the aggression of boxing, Sylvester Stallone maintains he wrote the movie as a love story. Sort of the same way romance followed the movie Titanic to the bottom of the ocean.



Notice the headphones. Peace.



Curiously, Santa brought this one a cellphone, despite the debates offered by yours truly that a phone is not needed IF THE MOM ALWAYS KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE. Regardless, the man in the red suit must have taken pity after listening in on the conversation between my sixth grade son and a friend from school:

Chase: Can I borrow your cell phone to call my mom?

Friend: Sure. Did you leave your phone at home?

Chase: No. I don’t have one.

Friend: Wow. Your mom must hate you.



The jolly man brought Mary Mac the American Girl doll, Lanie, that apparently will no longer be in production after December. A little known fact that sent Santa's workforce into a last minute frenzy, that left said force with excessive grey hairs that will make her colorist cry. Oh, why must the dolls expire? American Girl People, can't you just give peace a chance?



More Christmas Peace and Joy:





(My husband claims that our gift wrapping looks as though our home is the location for UPS headquarters. During the renovation of our home, the large roll of Craft paper that protected the refinished hardwood floors was not used in its entirety. With a little craftiness (Get it? Craft? Craftiness? Never mind. Please utilize the red box in the upper right hand corner when you've had enough) and an enormous amount of packing tape, a small fortune was saved in wrapping paper.

Until that is, all of the ends of the packages popped open because of the heaviness of the paper, and a small fortune was spent retaping every package two days before Christmas.)


Later that evening, as it continued to snow, we celebrated the day with more family.

Nana, Mary Mac, Aunt JJ and Uncle Curt's arm:






And the next day, while it continued to snow, we furthered the peace and the joy at the home of Uncle Josh and Aunt Julie.

Josh and Briggs:



Mimi, Dude, McKinley and Mary Mac:



John, Chandler, Chase and Tanner:



Rocklan and Jeni:



It’s a day we will always remember - a Christmas winter wonderland that may only happen this once in our lifetime. A gift of peace and joy that will always fill our hearts and our memories. And as so succinctly put as the text sent to me by the phone of my oldest, sitting in the same room with me and just a few feet away, adolescent thumbs a blur of unnecessary activity: “This has been the best day EVER.”

To which I responded via the same, “Stop texting me.”

Merry Christmas everybody!