Our Christmas started out on the morning of December 24.  We fed the animals bread so that everyone got some.  Here are some of the chickens,

 

the cows,

the peacock,

the donkeys,

some sheep,

and some more sheep

getting bread.  They also got some extra squash too.

I then did some more prep work for Christmas.  I got more of the presents wrapped and under the tree,

I assembled the Kransekake,

I prepared the ancestors’ adult beverages kits,

and got the last of the presents under the tree.

Then Christmas Eve afternoon we headed to my aunt and uncle’s home in Burien.  This is the same house that my great-grandfather and other Swedish relatives build for my grandparents and that my mother and her brothers grew up in.  I have spent most Christmas Eves of my life at this house.  So it is quite special to me.  Here is the family all assembled for the festivities.

We had a lovely prime rib dinner prepared by my aunt.  We opened presents and then had dessert.  Here are my figgy puddings getting ready to be served.

And here are my Rum Nickys and rum butter on the table.

Here is my aunt’s pear-ginger pudding with flames.  My figgy puddings would not light up though.

We had a lovely evening.  My aunt Amy’s pudding was much tastier than mine.  There may be a good reason traditional Christmas puddings are no longer popular.  But it was fun to make and try it.  The Rum Nickys seemed reasonably popular though.  We drove home arriving at midnight.  On the way we saw an older wood house completely engulfed in flames with firefighters trying to control it.  It was a sad sight.  Per Skagit Breaking the older gentleman living there was rescued with some smoke inhalation and his cat was also rescued.  But such a sad thing to happen on what is supposed to be a joyous night.

I woke up early Christmas morning to get everything ready.  The stockings were stuffed and hung by the pellet stove.

I baked Kanellängd from dough I had prepared 2 days prior, inspired by the Great British Bakeoff.  Here it is all baked and iced.

I made pecan rolls (AKA sticky buns) from my old Betty Crocker cookbook like I do every year.  Here they are all baked but not yet flipped over.

Then the guests started arriving.  Here is our granddaughter Piper,

and our grandson William with Grampa Tom.

Tom cooked our scrambled eggs. sausage and bacon along with some potatoes.  I assembled my baked goods and other treats.

Here are more photos of Piper.

We have a very nice breakfast.  Then we exchanged presents.  Chloes decided under the coffee table was a safe space during this invasion of her living room.

Here is Thomas talking to Elf William,

and William opening his first present,

a pair of motorcycle goggles.

Jaylene opened a photo book of William’s first 5 years.

William opened Piper’s snow suit present.

Tom opened his Blues Cruise poster that I had framed.

Greg was looking at the wallet Tom gave him, obscured by packages.

Chloe decided she liked wrapping paper.

William instigated a wrapping paper battle.

Russ looked at the Mount Baker pint glass present.

My dad and Piper watched Jaylene open her present.

Dad is trying to figure out his present.

Everyone seems to be having fun.

Greg liking his Mount Saint Helens pint glass, still obscured by presents.

Jay and Russ looking at Piper’s new book.

William looking at his new books.

Now it was time to open stockings.

And the resulting joyous mess.

William checked out the cars that came in his stocking.

Then it was time for a ride on the quad with Grampa with Steve watching.

We then headed to Tom’s sister’s house for dinner.  The Schoonover family is a fun loving bunch.

Aunt Linda made these comical signs for the cousins.

Tom’s parents returned an ornament to Tom that he had made in the second grade in Mrs. Campbell’s class.

We had a lovely prime rib dinner prepared by Tom’s family and then a funny white elephant gift exchange.

Uncle got a pink purse which was hilarious.

And Chris got a white elephant.

Then it was time for dessert.  Here is my Yule Log ready to be eaten.  People really seemed to enjoy it.

Here is the present given to my sister-in-law by her clever son.

And here is some of our Christmas loot under the tree.

I did not include everything like I usually do because I was tired.  There is also a new barn camera, CDs, socks, ornaments, soaps, jewelry, hand creams, candy, a battery for our solar system, tickets, cider, wine , kailua and coffee.  So we made out quite well this Christmas.  But the more important thing was that we got to spend time with our families and enjoy their company.  It was a hectic but very fun Christmas.