Christmas celebration 2013 with Family

Christmas is a blessed time of year when we enjoy celebrating a very special gift of love, God's very own son, Jesus.  It is like a big wonderful Birthday Celebration for Jesus with worship, the word and sacrament, lights, family, friends, songs, food and gifts.   

I love the way the lights of the tree and decoration shine through the darkness,  it reminds me that Jesus is the light that came into a dark, broken and sinful world to shine the light of salvation and forgiveness to all who Believe .

Our Grandson looked quite spiffy all dressed up in his Christmas best.  He has a clear voice as he read Luke 2,  The True Christmas message from Gods true word, the BIBLE,  

Time for gifts.  OH my, what a special gift from his parents, one he will be able to use for his college classes.  As you will learn in my following post, this nice gift also doubled as his graduation gift.  Below, mom and dad pose with their excited son. 

More pictures of Christmas gifts.

  Jeff  above with two fun gifts from the Suttons.  I also got wonderful gifts but then I was behind the camera so you will have to imagine my excitement.  

Even the Grand Puppies were excited and each got a fun gift,  a raw-hide editable card.  It was so nice to have the grand-puppies, Rosco above and Trixie below, to spoil since this was the first Christmas without our Baxter Dog. 

More gifts and cards.  

Ansir trying out his new lap top computer.  YEY,  it works just like it should.  Below he tried on his new footy, comfy warm PJ's from Great Grandma.  Such a ham he is but I am sure they will be used a lot in the sub 0 temps in ND. 

Christmas morning church to worship with word and sacrament.  The Christmas eve service was also beautiful with a candle lite service.  Below you will see our two pastors greeting everyone after the service.

We had a great time posing for a couple pictures with our grandson.  

The Christmas table ready for the meal of Ham with all the trimmings. 
The sun came out and it was perfect conditions to build a snow man.  I don't know who's idea it was to put the concrete bird lawn ornament on the head for a hat.  

My cousin Melissa came to exchange gifts, eat the Christmas meal with us and join in a bit of the fun. 

Our daughter found some beautiful tasty old fashioned ribbon candy.  My parents talked of their childhood years when hanging ribbon candy and last years ribbons on the tree was a normal decoration for 80 years ago.  My how times change.  Who can remember this ribbon candy?

Two special pictures of the Grand Puppies.  They loved coming for a visit and getting special treats and attention.  

Annual Friend Christmas Party, PEACE ON EARTH

 The theme for this years 2013 Christmas Party was
 Peace On Earth.  

It was a beautiful setting for our party,  like a white wonderland with fresh snow.   

 Just a few pictures of decorations and our table set with advent wreath

 and goodies for the party guests.  

 There was sloppy joe's,  sausage and sour-crout, jello, little smokes, chips, Ham ball and crackers, and lots of cookies, tea, wine, hot chocolate etc.

 We each had a number and made up a word to fit the 12 days of Christmas my good friends gave to me.   Some turned out rather hilarious like the hairless cats, crying babies, homely dogs, box's of chocolate and mandolins. We all had a good laugh as we sang the finished song.

The gift opening of the anonymous gifts was fun like usual. Below was one of the unique gifts to fit the theme of Peace on Earth.  

 Jim got the traveling gift that has been passed along for about 13 years now.  It started as a yellow patio Bee and was given as a white Elephant gift in 20002.  It has been a ball to see what that YELLOW BEE would turn into for each years theme.  I had the Bee this year so I created a white Dove of Peace and added a pewter ornament to the center that said CHRISTMAS PEACE.

Way at the end of the party we decided to take a few pictures of friends/couples.   

The "BEE"  as a Dove of Peace.   

 Below was last year, 2012, made by Rich for the theme. 

OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS.   He made this old fashioned truck and the "BEE"  had all these evergreen pieces glued to it to  make the cut Christmas tree in the back of the truck.     

Jeff Falin created this beautiful JOY out of the "BEE" 

to go with the

 2011 Christmas Party theme of JOY TO THE WORLD.   

He had gotten the traveling "BEE GIFT" at our

 2010 WHITE ELEPHANT party.  I think Rich did an excellent job of turning it into a Elephant. He helped Rogene create it since she is the one who actually got the "BEE" in 2009.  

2009 the theme for our Christmas party was

 LET IT SNOW.  LET IT SNOW,  LET IT SNOW

You can see how the "BEE" was changed into a beautiful SNOW MAN.

 2008 the theme was SOUND OF MUSIC. The BEE had been changed into a Angel and had a music box in the head.   

   

     The theme for 2007 was LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE

            The BEE  had a glow stick in the center and had a

 Bible Verse written on it. You are the light of the world,  Let your light so shine before man, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 2006 our party theme was  WINGS.   You can see the traveling gift "BEE" had been transformed into a Jet Airplane.

Can we even imagine the many hours that has been devoted to transforming this "BEE" garden candle or yard decoration.  

It will be very interesting to see what it will look like next year.  The 2014 Christmas party theme has already been chosen,  it will be ,   WE THREE KINGS.      

Then even looking forward to 2015,  the theme of our party will be   WHAT IN THE HECK IS THIS!   Who knows what weird odd things will be delightfully wrapped for that party.