The Chace's: Christmas on MLK Weekend

Many years ago I couldn't imagine being away from home at Christmas. I always felt sorta sad for those families that would travel over Christmas Holiday. Before I was married I was ALWAYS home for Christmas. After Sandy and I married we would alternate years at each others parents homes. After Le was born we decided we would stay home and start our own traditions.

That said, Mama and Daddy would be at Vivians at the crack of dawn to have Santa with Alex on Christmas Day. Then Mama and Daddy would drive six hours to my house and have Santa with Le and Dan. Time went by and one year it snowed on Christmas so Mama and Daddy didn't get to come until the day AFTER Christmas. It was a lot less stressful for them. They didn't feel rushed at Vivi's and they weren't exhausted after being up so early then driving six hours. That became the new tradition. And it was fun because Christmas was stretched out one more day.

I have learned over the years that if Mama and Daddy are here and there are presents it can be Christmas on any day. The few years we have been gone over Christmas I have spent a lot of wasted time fretting over whether or not we would hurt Mama and Daddy's feelings or if the kids would regret not seeing Grandma and Grandpa the day after Xmas. This year it really hit home. We had such a great time in Ocean Reef. Two weeks after getting home Mama and Daddy came to celebrate Christmas. I left one tree up, made a pound cake, cooked a good dinner, had a cheese ball and voila! Christmas. We had a great Christmas/MLK holiday.

Aunt Vivian really stumped Le this year. She has this wild hanging "ornament" in her back yard. We love watching it in the breeze. She gave Le the pvc pipe and fittings to make one. Le REALLY had no idea why he was getting pvc pipes.

We forgot to wrap one gift. A Phiten bracelet for Grandpa. Le took the liberty of wrapping it. He basically wadded up all the left over wrapping paper around it and taped it.