Christmas Recap - Presents on Christmas Eve and Luminarias

I hope you had a very Merry Holiday! Christmas has come and gone, the decorations are coming down but for the moment I wanted to recap Christmas 2010.

First on Christmas Eve, I made an attempt this year was to have luminaries! I may not have a white Christmas in AZ but luminarias can be put out! I posted how I visited the Desert Botanical Gardens this year with their 8000 luminarias. You will also see many houses in AZ have luminarias for Christmas Eve. I just love how houses look with these light lining the driveways, so inviting and warm. I wanted to join in on this fun as well. While the south got snow, Arizona just got wind. I prepared getting the paper bags, tea light and then rocks to hold down the bags. I added a snowflake cut out to the bags as wll. However, they were out for a minute before I got nervous about the wind so in they came. Looked pretty for a second! Maybe next year.

Then, on to the presents! I have always been fascinated when people discuss what their holiday traditions are. One tradition my family always had is opening the presents on Christmas Eve. I mean ALL the presents from Santa! Every Christmas Eve one of the parents would take us out at night to look for Santa Claus and look at lights. One parent would stay home, usually with the excuse that they were tired or needed to take care of something. Then we would go out and come home to Santa already arriving! The story went that our house was one of the first places that Santa went to.

Now, being that I am the oldest of five kids I am betting that it was pretty convenient that the parents got to sleep in past 4 am. There was one memorable Christmas where my Dad came out and found me and the oldest brother playing the new Atari at 4 in the morning (it is still cool BTW. Pac-man does not age) We did still have presents Christmas day from the Grandparents, but most were the night before.

This holiday I went to my parents on Christmas eve for presents to keep with tradition, then the family came over to my place for the holiday! We went hiking by my place and then watched the classic Charlie Brown Christmas. Always great to spend the holiday with family, and even a treat with my sister flying in Sunday! Hope your holiday was wonderful as well!