Almost Christmas!

I just have to say that I'm so excited it's finally Christmas time. I love the other holidays, but seriously, none compare to Christmas. I think much of that comes from keeping lots of traditions year after year, and enjoying the company of family every year for the holiday, whether it be the million and two of us from the Bunn side, or the smaller Johnson family. We used to rotate every other year. This made it possible for the WHOLE family to be together every other year for Christmas, which was so important.

For our "Bunn" Christmases, we would have potlucks galore (I've mentioned the Bunn potlucks...yumm), caroling up and down Locks Road with candles, family poem writing (usually done on the long 9 hr drive to Oregon with Mom's prodding) and reading, the reading of Luke chapter 2 (the foretelling and birth of Jesus--the true meaning of Christmas!) and the reading of The Littlest Angel, both read by Grandad. Stockings, which there were so many they were lined along the long mantle AND along below the fireplace...stockings galore! And, once we grew and matured, (becoming the 'older cousins') we got to help fill those stockings galore. Christmas day each family would have their own time opening gifts, but then my Uncle Wayne would appear as Santa (sorry Uncle Wayne, the secrets out!). We'd eat a delicious dinner. Oh, I can't forget how we would go to Clackamas Mall and go ice skating (along with some quick shopping). Sheesh. We've had so many CHristmas traditions on the Bunn side that I KNOW I've got to be forgetting some. Needless to say, those years have always been full of family, love, and fun. It's been years since we were able to attend a "Bunn Christmas" since we have all grown, married, and had our own kids. It'd be fun to try to make another some time.

The opposite years would be spent with my dad's side: Gramps and Grams, Kary and Scott , Joey and Rebecca, and Uncle Don and Aunt Ravae. We'd nestle down in Gramps and Grams place, fighting for the orange fuzzy massage chair that really just vibrated (but it was still way cool!). We all have the most amazing stockings that Grams made us all out of beautiful red velvet and fuzzy white material for the top, with our names in sequin and pictures all stitched artfully on the front. I think usually Christmas Eve, we'd all go over to Uncle Don's and Aunt Ravae's for dinner. Loved that. Then, Christmas Eve we would open stockings...yes, Santa came early for the Johnson family! And again, Christmas day was filled with games (Grams always showing her fiesty side), wonderful meals, family...and, oh yea, presents. (Right now I'm really missing Grams and Aunt Ravae; though I bet they are loving their Christmas celebration more than I could imagine!) :-)

Since I and my sibs and graduated college, married, and had kids of our own, we have adopted the idea of every other holiday. It's been so wonderful to be able to spend a WHOLE holiday with one family each year. Last year was Thanksgiving for the Johnson side, which we added Christmas in too (a new tradition we're hoping will stick), and Christmas for the McAfee side, when we welcomed Syndey Claire Garner to the family. This year, I'm so excited to spend Christmas with my side of the family in snowy McCall, which so far has been our new tradition since the completion of my parents cabin. We've adopted a new tradition: an amazing Seafood Feast on Christmas Eve, with clams, crab, lobster, shrimp, scallops, salmon, and steak! Need I say more? We've stuck with opening stockings on Christmas Eve (since Santa still comes early for the Johnsons!). And, as we've done for years, opening presents first thing Christmas morning. We open our gifts individually so we can see what each other gets. Usually we start oldest to youngest, but sometimes the other way around. Its a long process, but fun. We take turns testing our basketball skill by shooting our used wrapping paper into whatever box or bag has been designated, sometimes at the shock of my dad when we miss horribly! Then, we eat, sled, snowmobile, play ice hockey, go hot tubbin, take naps, watch movies, read, play games, eat some more....and really do whatever we want.
OH, Christmas in McCall is wonderful! Can't wait. My sister Missy and her hubby Jason are coming into town from Virginia the Sunday before, as well as my brother Casey and his wife Kim. So, for me, as soon as all the family arrives, Christmas can officially begin! And as much as I love the food and family and traditions and gifts, the thing I love most is the fact that God loves me (and you) so much and wants me close to Him so badly, that He sent Jesus to live on earth to live and suffer as we do, then to die an embarrasing, public, and horrifically painful death so that I (and you) could spend eternity with Him. Because there is absolutely NOTHING that I can do to be worthy enough or good enough to walk with God for eternity, to sit at His right hand, Jesus came to intercede for me so that I could go and fill that special place He is preparing for me when I die. That's why we celebrate Christmas, and I am so blessed and thankful for it. Thank you, Jesus! :-)