Santa Claus has a fairly large group of helpers putting presents under our tree, and enjoying Olde Bakery treats, as I write this. I’m sure there are at least a few of my favorite people wishing that they could use a little Magi power to get that done – it’s been a very long day!
Mom, Dad, and I started out with Tai Chi while Ethan and Ehlana slept in a bit after staying up later than usual last night. I wasn’t surprised when that was pretty much the only quiet time any of us had between then and now. Dad and I were on the breakfast cooking crew, and we worked for nearly two hours from the time we started until the last dishes were cleaned and put away again. After our kitchen shift was done, I had time to grab a quick shower and get ready to go out before meeting everyone going on the Christmas Eve day shopping adventure.
Chris and Martin had made other plans by then to meet up with some of their friends, but all of the girls were going, and most of the guys were at least going to make a few stops – like to the Bakery, Emporium, and Fix-it shop. There wasn’t going to be any snow for Christmas for sure now, but I guess there is something to be said for sunny, unseasonably warm days too. Shopping was more fun for sure, and we even went to play at the park after lunch for an hour or so. Try not to be shocked, but I only picked up some bakery treats for the lounge and a mistletoe to hang in the lounge too, just in case we might get the chance to tease Violet and Dillon; or even better – Chris or Martin.
That little purchase ended up being very entertaining for quite a few of us today, if occasionally weird for me. I certainly didn’t expect to catch Jenny sharing a Christmas kiss under the mistletoe with Martin while she and Rebecca had stopped in for a visit while on their afternoon break from the Inn. I didn’t witness Chris getting caught and kissed by Carolyn Landry, but Dawn and I were both around to see several other couple kisses while Chris and Martin were hosting their afternoon gaming party.
Our house was family central from lunchtime on. I was off-duty for kitchen work at noon, but Mom and Dad had Dawn and I both working before and after dinner before going to get dressed up for the Christmas Eve service at the church. I hadn’t really thought about it, but there hadn’t been a Christmas musical last Sunday like there had been last year, but that was mostly because the teens were putting on a service filled with music and short skits that was just as amazing as that show had been.
The Christmas Eve fun continued back at our house, with most of the action in the living room, kitchen, and lounge. Violet and Dillon went to his house for a while after church, but were home with us again in time for the bedtime Christmas story that Grandpa told all of us before Jayden, Ethan, and Ehlana were taken upstairs and tucked into their cribs. It took a while longer to get Jaimie and Kaitlyn wound down, and Dawn and I eventually had to help out with that by getting ready for bed too.
We’d planned on staying up later, but Dawn didn’t last much longer after we climbed into bed with Mandy. That brings this journal up to the moment, and I’ve been playing on my computer since Dawn drifted off; waiting for my turn to play Santa once the grown-ups are finished their work. Hopefully I’ll have enough time after that to get a little sleep before Kaitlyn and Jaimie are up and running again!