More on Christmas 2018 and pics

It will go down as the Christmas Grandma got taken down by the Christmas tree. Oh, there were runner-up shenanigans but nothing that toppled Grandma Mary Anne's saga. 

I mean, how often can one say that she broke her back by being felled by her very own Christmas tree? I'm only sorry that Madison and Teddy never finished their song on the incident sung to the tune of Oh, Christmas Tree, because it would have just added some spice to the story.

Grandma likes real trees for Christmas, and last year she had the tree up and waiting for the grandchildren to decorate. She decided that would be a tradition, and my husband took her out this year to get her tree, setting it up for her and stringing some lights. He left it sitting like that for the arrival of the grandchildren. The date for decorating was set for Friday.

Thursday, Grandma got knocked over by the Christmas tree. Friday, the grandchildren deemed the tree unworthy of decoration. A punishment I'm not sure the tree minded. No heavy ornaments to bend it's branches? Score.

The tree was bare with minimal lights but still part of the holiday. As soon as the new year rang in? The tree was disposed of. Off came the lights, and in one fell swoop, the tree hit the curb to be taken off to wherever it is that discarded Christmas trees disappear.

I picture them carted off to Santa's acreage where they're replanted and reborn. I'm not sure what Santa will have in store for this very naughty tree, but perhaps there is redemption. At the very least, it will live on in our retelling of Christmas of 2018.

As for the rest of the holiday, it was terrific. Always great to spend time with family and friends. Our Christmas morning was quiet and un-hectic. We slept late, awoke to cinnamon rolls, opened gifts, and then hiked to Grandma's for the rest of the day.

Nancy and Beth created and cooked a delicious Christmas meal that was then consumed in the amount of time it took to open a bottle of wine. Certainly faster than it did to prepare and make. Dessert was eaten, and our traditional Yankee Exchange occurred. Tons of games were played, including our family favorite with this group: Mafia. 

After Christmas, the days were spent on trips to the beach, the children's museum, and Darcy's campus. Oh, and more gaming and tons more Mafia.

Also, there was some rearranging of Grandma's house so she could maneuver the walker in case a Christmas tree jumped out at her.

We were sorry to see everyone head back home. I was sad to see my girls return to college. But all good things come to an end, and we put 2018 to bed and got back into our routines. 

Here's hoping 2019 is just as exciting!