Ahhh Christmas!! My favourite time of the year! I was a little sceptical about having Christmas in the USA, I just couldn't imagine having Christmas in the winter!! New Zealand comes alive in the Summer, long lazy days on the deck have always been synonymous with Christmas for me! But I was certainly curious as to how it would be, and it turned out to really surprise me!
Christmas began for me on Christmas Eve, at my church's candlelight service. It was really reflective and special. It was the first time I had been to church on Christmas Eve because normally I am in on holiday up in Northland in New Zealand with my family, away from my church in Auckland.
Coming down the stairs on Christmas morning was such a lovely surprise, seeing all the decorations and presents and the table all set!
Christmas morning was very exciting because of all the kids! Five kids, the host parents and both sets of grandparents - it was a wonderful feeling to have such a full house. It was full of joy, there were presents galore!
After opening all our stockings (we all had one - even me!) we went and ate a delicious breakfast!
Cooked breakfast around the big table
During the day it took us hours and hours to open all the presents because their tradition is to have each person open one present at a time - so with all of us, it took a loooong time! We had to do it in two sessions of approximately 2 hours each. We stopped for a brief lunch in the middle, sandwiches and salad and other snack-type foods. Later in the evening we had Swiss raclette for dinner which is a dish of potatoes and melted cheese - the cheese is the main course, you heat large slabs of cheese on a special little table-top grill and then eat the cheese with a side of potatoes. It was the perfect end to a really relaxing day! I felt like I was home with my family, it was so easygoing and fun and filled with laughter! I really really really loved my American Christmas!
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