Christmas morning I woke up around 6:30ish and after marveling at how quiet it still was went into the kitchen to put together a breakfast casserole for our Christmas Breakfast. We had decided the night before that when the kids woke up they could come downstairs to our room with their stockings. It is tradition for their stockings to be left on their beds and then they bring them into our room for the opening. Last year we didn't know how to avoid the kids looking at the tree with all their gifts before it was time, another fun tradition, so we opened stockings together upstairs. The kids did not like that and wanted to go back to our bedroom tradition so they decided they would not look at the tree on their way down to our room. At about 7:00 the kids started to appear and we all went into my room for the stockings opening.
After the stockings were opened the kids had to brush their hair, put on makeup if need be, tidy themselves up but they could stay in their pajamas before coming out to look at the tree. It was pretty humorous watching them go back upstairs while trying to avoid looking at the tree.
Ryker and Rylee were the only reactions I was able to get of the first look at the presents and even their reactions were pretty staged for the camera.
Ryker got a present from his friend Ady Klemme and she wrapped it in a lot of layers of paper and tape. She wrote a note that said he had to open it with only his hands and without getting frustrated or angry and I thought that was funny, she knows Ryker really well. He struggled with the gift for about 10 minutes before giving up and moving on to his other presents. He came back to it much later and was finally able to open it to find a box of fruit snacks which was an inside joke between the two of them.
We all had fun opening our gifts and the kids are always great at being grateful for what they receive even if its not exactly what they were hoping for. Kenedy got a Northface jacket, VS underwear, movies and a battery phone charger. Ryker got a game for his DS, a drone, a hat and a phone case. Avynlea got two pairs of converse, a body pillow, a hat and dress and a portable DVD player. Rylee got a dress and slippers, a 2DS and a game for her DS.
Kefford got an automatic screwdriver from Kenedy, a two pound bag of Pez candy from Avy, a new shirt from Rylee and a ladder from Ryker.
I got new boots from Avy, a plaid shirt from Rylee, a cast-iron pan from Ryker and two new winter shirts from Kenedy. Kefford also surprised me with a gift card to Bed, Bath and Beyond so that I could buy the new bedding I have been wanting!
The family also got a couple of new movies and a new game "Codenames". We played it this summer at the beach and also over thanksgiving at Emily and loved it so I bought one for us to have.
We did secret person gifts from my family after we opened all of the presents from "Santa". Ryker got a lock picking kit and gaming dice from Amos. Kenedy got a Slytherin Locket and a Marauders Map Umbrella from Jaylynn, Avynlea got a Harry Potter Hat and shirt along with a South Carlsbad Beach patch from Uncle Jeremy and Kefford got a really cool Nike Jacket from Mallory. She also let him know that her sister works at Nike now and can get them 40% off anything. He was super excited about his gift and the 40% off. Rylee and I didn't get to open our SP presents on Christmas Day because they hadn't arrived yet. They came the day after which was a fun extension of gift opening and Rylee got colored pencils and a pad of Art paper from Alyssa while I got a pretty purple necklace and a Marshmallow fireside scented candle from Bath and Body Works from Dillon. We all loved our gifts and love this Secret Person gift giving tradition that has been taking place in our family since I was a little kid.
I called my Mom a little while later and she hadn't opened my gift to her yet so I had her open it while we were on the phone. She got two new tablecloths from me, one with a winter theme and the other had bright colored flowers on it. She claimed to have loved them and I told her she had to use the Winter one for Christmas dinner and to send me a picture of it. She also sent a picture of Alec with his SP gift from Kefford, a cozy blanket and JayLynns SP gift from Ryker, a new outfit :). Avy had Amos and gave him two fleece onesie outfits, Rylee had Dillon and gave him a Yoda shirt. I had Big Jeremy and I gave him cedar grilling planks and Kenedy had Ben and she gave him a nerf gun with an extra pack of darts.
After the gift opening we headed out to Nyssa to spend time with Keffords family. Not everyone was their since we were all going to be together at the coast in a few days but it was fun visiting with the ones who were around. I made Alison a book of pictures from our Summer trip to the Redwoods and she was surprised and really liked it.