Honey was listening very carefully...
Then Kit and Ella set up (and argued over) Santa's table. Ella wrote out a menu...
And put "baby Jesus" under the tree...
We have a rule on Christmas morning that the kids aren't allowed to go down and look at their stockings until we all go together...this is to stop kids getting up at 4 am (believe me, Kit opened our door to check the time at 4 am). So they are allowed to come and hop into bed with us after 7 am. This used to be a really sweet thing to do...4 kids cuddling in bed...coming in one at a time. But now that they are older, it was a little squishy and probably not too good for the bed.
We also have a rule (I know, so many rules-I am so anal) that the stocking presents get opened one at a time going in a circle from youngest to oldest. This slows it all down and means that everyone gets to appreciate what the others get. Always fun. Our breakfast is usually Panettone, fruit and chocolates, and then we hand out the other gifts.
Ella reading Santa's note back to her.
This year we had our friends around for Christmas. So we set the table all pretty for our sumptious feast. 
Including, of course, a ham, which I have to say is one of my favourite parts of Christmas. This one was mm mm good.
We all had a great day, and it was late when our friends left. Actually having people around meant the kids didn't get to play with their new toys (a few wii games) until yesterday and today. Actually it was mostly electronic stuff...Kit and Ella got a new casette and CD player each so they can listen to their audio tapes with head phones and not argue over what they want to listen to. Remi got a docking thing for his ipod so he can listen to it in his room. Oscar got some cool headphones that he really wanted...and then just now came down stairs really upset because one of the cats had chewed through the cord. Looks like I'll have to replace them. Matt got me a wii fit...I'm looking forward to using it, when I can get everyone else off it! I also got some lovely thoughtful pressies from the kids.
Hoping you had a lovely Christmas.
Merries and Happies...but really, the kids not being able to open their presents at 4 in the morning...must be a Parsons rule, would never have worked in the Mars household...
ReplyDeletelove
Mars GOD
Ohh cool, I wanna hear how your Wii Fit is.... I love your tradition of reading a story thE night before Christmas and this year my girls said "arent we going to burn the letter to santa". I thought where thE heck is that from? Ah ha! Matt AND gEORGE!!! lOOKS LIKE YOU HAD A LOVELY DAY.
ReplyDeletehey, just thought, did you get your weird little knitting buttons I sent? And I DID have a laugh at teh alien lamb!!! Its a crack up but love it!
ReplyDeleteIt all looks lovely - well done! How was the goose and the capon though, and did the kids actually eat it? mumxxxx
ReplyDeleteRohan got a dock for his ipod too funnily enough!
ReplyDeleteWe're the same with the trying to slow everything down. So the children weren't allowed downstairs till 8am and after stockings we had breakfast and then managed to persuade the boys to go and play footoes with the Dads for an hour. That meant that some of the presents didn't get opened till after lunch which was a first.