Saturday, December 26, 2009

Christmas Day 2009

It was a wonderful Christmas at the Gottwals!

I set the table for our big Christmas dinner using my fancy china.  It is Old Country Roses, same as my mom's.  Most of the dishes and glasses still had the price tags.  It's a shame that in 3 1/2 years I haven't used much of my china!


I did a very simple centerpiece.  I cut off some greenery from our Christmas tree and put candles in the middle.  I didn't even use a tray or anything--I put everything right on the table.


Meanwhile, my dad worked on the turkey (it was so yummy!)...


My aunt made the dressing (also yummy)...


Mom did everything else.  She was like a flash around the kitchen and I never got a good picture of her.  Meanwhile, downstairs in the den, Shane and his mom and brother were equally busy watching A Christmas Story...it's tradition!


We served dinner buffet-style on the buffet in the living room just beside the dining room.


YUM!  Turkey, cranberry sauce, dressing, greens, sweet potato, deviled eggs, and avocado!


My dad is fun and cheesy.  "Take a picture of me with my food!"


Shane (not to be outdone by my dad)--"Take a picture of me like I've already eaten and I'm licking my plate clean!"


Then we got down to business.



For desert we had strawberry pie and ambrosia--the food of the gods (with my dad, everything's a history lesson).  We make our with oranges and coconut--mix them and let them hang out together in a bowl in the fridge overnight.


I tried to correct my dad by explaining that in movies set back in time they don't eat ambrosia, they eat huge legs of meat...Dad said, "Like this?"


I would say the meal was a success.  This is my plate after seconds.


We sat around talking for a while.  I asked Shane to invite everyone down to the den to hang out.  "Come on, everyone," he said, "let's go down to the den.  Just follow my servant!"  I suppose I'm his servant now.  HA!


We opened presents together.  We always open them one by one so everyone sees what everyone gave/got.  Here Aunt Ouida is opening a present from Aunt Miriam.  Aunt Miriam couldn't be with us at Christmas this year but always sends us great gifts.


It's a doll from Indonesia!  Beautiful!


Shane wouldn't sit still long enough for me to get a decent picture, but he LOVED this sweater vest, also from Aunt Miriam.  She said when she saw it on the mannequin, she thought, Shane could wear that while selling books.  And she was right.


I got a great sweater from Aunt M, too.  Ten seconds after Shane took this picture I changed into it. 


Dinner served, presents opened, some of us needed a little rest.


A wonderful day spent with family.  Looking forward to my brother and his wife coming in today!  Hopefully they will be home when I get home.  I'll be off work next week until Friday. 

How was your Christmas?



4 comments:

Kelly said...

Awww it looks like you had an amazing Christmas! I really enjoyed looking at your photo's, your family seems so sweet:)

miriam said...

How lovely! Makes me feel like I was there! Thanks for showing off my presents.

Amy @ Design-Aholic said...

Yum, I should have come to your house for dinner! :)

Moore Minutes said...

Looks like such a WARM and inviting time! Your dad is too funny too! lol :) Beautiful table and the meal sounds delicious!