Christmas Day {2014}

Ahhh… Such a great day.  There’s nothing quite like seeing Christmas through the eyes of your child.  Everything is just so exciting and wonderful.  And though I’ve come to the conclusion that Christmas away from Canada and our families will always be a touch strange, I think we’ve settled into a nice little holiday routine with just our family of 3.

Miss G woke up around 7 this morning {we’ve moved bedtime and her wake-up time back an hour here in Germany and it’s been so nice} and as she usually does, she headed got up and headed to the bathroom.  I think she’d forgotten which day it was, because the moment she left the bedroom she squealed, ‘Eeeeeh!  It’s Christmas today!!  It’s CHRISTMAS!’  With that, we all got out of bed and I made us each a hot drink before we began opening our stockings.  Grae was very intentional with hers.  She opened one gift at a time, making sure to thank us as she neatly laid it out in front of her afterwards.  She was also very proud of the stocking stuffers she’d helped pick out for Brad and I, and ran over many times to explain where / how / when / why she’d picked what she picked.

After stockings, Brad and Grae built some LEGO structures, checked out a couple of things on the iPad, and played with her stocking stuffers while I put together some breakfast for us.

Then it was onto present opening.  Brad and I don’t do gifts for one another {I think travelling is the best gift!}, and while we usually do just one big gift for Miss G, this year we switched it up a little and she opened a few smaller things instead.  Her dress-up dress, new shoes, books, and cash register were all a total hit, and most got played with or tried on before moving onto opening the next red and white package.

The rest of our morning was very low-key.  We played, spent time as a family, and watched a Christmas movie {aka snoozed just a little – us, not Grae of course}.

Afterwards, we bundled up and headed towards the river for a family walk.  It was the coldest it’s been, but the sun came out just as we left our flat and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful day.

As we made our way along the river, we came to a stretch of playgrounds, all of which were really fun.  We made our way from one to another, playing along the way.  It was so nice to spend some time outdoors and see tons of other families doing the same.

When the sun went down and it started to get really cold, it was time to head home.  We almost lost our little tutu-clad lady to tree climbing along the way, but she decided she’d come along after all. ☺

Once home, I roasted a small chicken and I made a few Christmas dinner-inspired sides.  {Mini Christmas dinner for the win!} while Brad and Grae started on our FaceTime marathon.   First up was Grandma Charlotte and Poppop, then we talked to Grandma Sue, then we snuck in some dinner and finished off the evening with chatting to Grae’s Gido and then her Uncle and cousins.   After catching up with everyone’s Christmas mornings back home, we had some dessert, some more family time, and that was our day.  It was absolutely lovely.  Merry Christmas, everyone!

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