1st Christmas {as a Pepin}

After the Christmas Eve Service at church, our family & friends get together. This has traditionally become Chinese take-out night. Everyone, right after the service, can be found looking at different menus (top choices are Panda or Jin's) and ordering their choices over the phone. Whatever you get is placed on the table for everyone to 'have a taste' :) While we eat, we watch "A Christmas Story" or "It's a Wonderful Life"!

Mom P and I

My sister and I

We spent this year's Christmas Eve night at Matt's parents house because they do their Christmas earlier than my family does. MUCH earlier than mine. I was probably the last person to get up, but I was awake around 8 am. And that is early to me!!! We ate a nice breakfast and then everyone gathered in the living room to open their stocking. These are not "normal" stockings. These stockings are about 2-3 feet in length (grandma says she gets them at the Dollar Store for $1)!! Also, each gift is individually wrapped and placed inside!!!

See what I mean?! 

Once stockings are finished and everyone has admired the fun trinkets, all the boys start distributing gifts. The youngest in the family starts first with one gift and so on. After one gift each is opened, then it is mayhem. Everyone is opening their gifts while oohing and aahing and thanking the gift-giver for what they just received. It's not too crazy, but it was fun to just take a break and look around at what people are opening. The middle of the room starts to pile up with the destroyed wrapping paper, bows, tags, and boxes (and is burned later on). It was pure fun!

Matt had the camera set up on self-timer 

Cute "brown paper package tied up with string" done by my sister-in-law

WHOO!!!! I've got some learning to do :)

The leftovers

It was a wonderful experience and one that I thoroughly enjoyed!! Hooray for new families and new traditions!