Christmas A Week Later
Ever since I was a little girl, my family has celebrated Christmas the weekend after Christmas. I became an aunt before my 10th birthday, and I remember my sisters and I anxiously awaiting the arrival of our older brothers and sisters, their spouses, and our nieces and nephews. Thirty years later, I still am anxious to see everyone, but there are a few changes. The main one being, we don't fit in Mom and Dad's house anymore!
Instead you'll see 50-some people spread all over the banquet hall at a local hotel!
The oldest nieces and nephews have grown up, many getting married and having children of their own now. Some of the great-grandchildren blend in quite well with the youngest grandchildren. I think Mom and Dad have 40 altogether at this point. (with 2 on the way in 2011!)
An Engelke gathering is a mish-mash of many things. There is literally something for everyone to do. You can watch a Badger Rose Bowl game...
...go swimming...
...play poker or cribbage...
...exchange presents with your cousins...
...dance with the wii...("Proud Mary" will leave you sweating, by the way)...
...play laser tag in the ball room and hallway...(being careful not to disturb the other hotel patrons, of course!!)...
...sing Christmas carols for Grandpa & Grandma...
...re-connect with your godparents...
...and open a surprise in the adult gift exchange. (This year I was lucky to get a new fragrance and while Mark won $9 on some lottery tickets! My niece Kaycie did a fantastic job with this gift, didn't she?)
Yes, the family Christmas has evolved into something larger than life! But the root of it, the love, laugh, and hugs shared between family members, will always remain the same. It doesn't matter where we have it, we can turn any place into "home" for the time being. And that time flies by so very, very quickly!
You, however, continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe, knowing from what persons you learned them and that from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus.--2 Timothy 3:14-15
Instead you'll see 50-some people spread all over the banquet hall at a local hotel!
The oldest nieces and nephews have grown up, many getting married and having children of their own now. Some of the great-grandchildren blend in quite well with the youngest grandchildren. I think Mom and Dad have 40 altogether at this point. (with 2 on the way in 2011!)
An Engelke gathering is a mish-mash of many things. There is literally something for everyone to do. You can watch a Badger Rose Bowl game...
...go swimming...
...play poker or cribbage...
...exchange presents with your cousins...
...dance with the wii...("Proud Mary" will leave you sweating, by the way)...
...play laser tag in the ball room and hallway...(being careful not to disturb the other hotel patrons, of course!!)...
...sing Christmas carols for Grandpa & Grandma...
...re-connect with your godparents...
...and open a surprise in the adult gift exchange. (This year I was lucky to get a new fragrance and while Mark won $9 on some lottery tickets! My niece Kaycie did a fantastic job with this gift, didn't she?)
Yes, the family Christmas has evolved into something larger than life! But the root of it, the love, laugh, and hugs shared between family members, will always remain the same. It doesn't matter where we have it, we can turn any place into "home" for the time being. And that time flies by so very, very quickly!
You, however, continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe, knowing from what persons you learned them and that from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus.--2 Timothy 3:14-15
posted by Amy Siegert | 7:56 AM
1 Comments:
Awesome! Gosh! And to think I only have THREE cousins and I don't know anything about them! Thanks for sharing your family life...it's fun to read your stories and look at your photos! :)
Looks like your Christmas celebration was tons of fun!
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