Christmas Day

The girls actually slept in later on Christmas Day than I think they ever have.  Back when they were little, they used to get up at 5:00AM to open the gifts under the tree.  This year they slept until after 9:00... when I finally woke them up...!!

We spent the morning opening gifts and had a great time together.  Everyone will remember the spindly Charlie Brown Christmas tree that I cut, and the way the star drooped over on top.  They wouldn't remember if I had bought a manicured Christmas tree from the lot...!!  

The girls put this ridiculous Santa's hat on me, and then pulled it back to exaggerate my baldness.  Made me look like a cue ball with a sock on my head.  But they all got a good laugh out of it.

It dawned cold on Christmas Day and just before sunrise it was -30C.  By the "warmest" part of the afternoon it had only struggled up to about -25C.

We plugged in Hailey's car for a few hours and by early afternoon she hit the road back to the city and took my Mom along with her.  I think Oma enjoyed her couple of days out in the mountains, though if it would have been warmer, and we could have gotten outside, it would have been a lot better.  I guess I have to bring her back in the spring.

I asked Margarit and the girls to NOT get me anything for Christmas.  Of course they didn't listen.  Helena got me an insulated work shirt... to replace the one that she bought me last year.  I have been wearing that one all year, and recently ripped a big hole in it.  She also bought me a book about Dinosaurs.  Anna bought me a nice sweatshirt.  Hailey gave me some money... and Margarit got me a couple of books.

Margarit and I would always pledge not get each other anything.  In past years I often broke that pledge and bought her something anyway.  This year I only got her a small box of her favorite chocolates.  This time around she broke the pledge with her gifts to me.

Those of us that are left out here are kind of hunkered down and waiting for the cold snap to break.  Boxing Day is also supposed to be quite cold but after that the forecast is calling for things to improve.