This year was Christmas with the in-laws. Time for littleold me to learn about other people’s traditions! Gotta keep an open mind, eh?

 

We did stockings last night.

 

Yes, you heard me, we did stocking last night – Christmas Eve – and they call them socks. Kinda weird, and as hubby had done before – no wrapping in the stockings. Just a sock full of stuff…  Hmmm…  It was fun. I got some interesting stuff and candy! Can’t go wrong with candy!

 

This morning no-one was up early. I was the first one up. Sitting down at the kitchen table all by my lonesome. Weird thing up here in the Pacific North West – there are about 3 hours of day light a day, so even at 7:30 am it’s dark!  Weird!  So at least I wasn’t up with the sun , that would have been an extremely long morning! Then dad-in-law got up and made some coffee! Thank goodness. The process is difficult and involves cutting coffee filters to fit etc etc etc or I might have attempted it me-self!

 

Then we waited. I showered and harassed the hubby! Then got dressed and harassed the hubby some more – so like the good sport he is, he got up too!

 

Finally mom-in-law got up and sister-in-law arrived, then it was time….

 

Time for us to head to starbucks….

 

Yes – we were not going to open presents and when we did we were not going to be in our jammies.  I’m breathing…  big full breaths.

 

We even get our coffee and sit around starbucks…  We don’t bring them home and drink while opening presents, we chat and drink coffee, no in our jammies, not at home.

 

Finally everyone has drunk their drinks and it is time to head back home.

 

We arrive and get to the presents! Yeah! Finally.

 

Then I see another weird thing. Gift cards in the tree. Yup, plain old, un-wrapped, gift cards, sitting in the tree…  Hmmm..  Not much on surprises I see!

 

I got some really neat and thoughtful presents!  Mom-in-law made me an apron with all kinds of pockets and spoon holders! Very cute! I got some stamps, some card making magazine, candy, a mini sushi set, office voodoo set, bath and body works stuff…  and other fun and wonderful stuff!  Some of said gift cards on the tree were for me!

 

Sister-in-law did attempt to make it more creative on her gift cards – she taped them in the center of a shirt box! Tee hee, it was great!

 

Mom-in-law got the big gift this year – an espresso maker – like the one I (me and hubby)  have.  It grinds the beans, makes the puck, drips the espresso and drops the puck into a bin. Very cool!  So we set that up and had more coffee! Yeah!

 

Weird thing with the espresso maker – it came with a free tea set.  Kinda strange, but ah well…  we are trying that out now!

 

New and different experiences…  Gonna take some getting used to, will be interesting to see what hubby things of my family’s “normal” Christmas next year!