Let's be merry

Christmas was a festive affair around here...and this year the festivities centered around one super special little man.

I had to work Christmas Eve but it was actually a pleasant shortened day. Everyone seemed in a merry mood, a client brought us all chocolate cake and the owner provided delicious sandwiches. Because we closed early at 4pm it was the first time since probably September that I've driven home in daylight. That alone gave me a rush. Look at the beautiful Christmas Eve sunset I got to catch!

We stayed up late watching my favorite, "Love Actually," and eating Gouda and toffee and then I went to sleep and dreamt that Jennifer Lawrence was really horrible in Hunger Games and it actually devastated me...it was a Christmas gift just to wake up and realize that wasn't real and will never happen since she is an amazing actress.

For a few years now we've downgraded our gift giving due to all of us being in stages in our lives where conserving money is good...and also being in stages of our lives where we realize presents aren't even close to the best or most fun part of Christmas day. We each exchanged one or two gifts a piece and then watched as my little nephew bugaboo tried to make his way through 20 or so gifts. It was such a hoot watching him grab at the paper and then wander off to play with a piece of lint or what have you while the adults oohed and ached over all his cool gifts.

{Ahem, this is his Gryffindor hat from Aunt Kate.}

My favorite gift of the day was the beautiful card from my sister and Chris, and what it represented.

Jen does these amazing drawings and so she made a card for each of us this year with an inspiring or applicable quote and inside the card explained that they had made a donation to an organization picked specifically with consideration to each person's interests. It was truly moving. My donation went to benefit literacy and reading for fun for underprivileged kids and families.

{My quote, one of my favorites, is "It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it." -Oscar Wilde.}

After presents we got ready to head over to Jen's in-law's for Christmas luncheon and puzzles. As I've mentioned before, we like to all get together to celebrate and it works nicely--we are all comfortable with one another and this way no one misses out on spending time together. My only qualm with the set-up is the puzzle--I hate puzzles. Luckily this year I had my nephew to keep me busy and entertained with his adorable antics and self-photoshoot opportunities.

Finally, we took some group photos which was wonderful since I haven't had a proper good photo of my brother-in-law and myself since, like, summer of '08 (when they got married.) Pathetic! Now I have some new ones to frame.

{Awww! Their first family Christmas.}

{The whole lot of us! My immediate family to the left, Chris' family to the right. Aren't the baby cousins adorable?}

{One last gratuitous shot of me and the babe--I can't be stopped. Isn't he so hunky?}

I finished up my day by watching the Downton Abbey Christmas special and texting like a mad woman with Abbi while hyperventilating and sobbing. That show is so absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking at times. You must watch! I insist.

(I was gonna post a convincingly beautiful picture from Abbi's tumblr here now, but they're all spoiler, so take my word for it.)

(If you were wondering, my favorite text of the night was: "If Daisy's life had a face I would punch it." ...because that is the truth.}

My favorite parts of Christmas at 23 are: Traditional Spanish hot chocolate, lazing around together in jammies, NEPHEW, mimosas and good food, watching holiday movies by the light of the Christmas tree.

What do you love about Christmas with your family or at your age?