A Christmas of Many Things

This year Christmas was many things. Christmas Eve was a birthday - Troy's birthday! We had a birthday dinner before decorating the tree.

And of course the birthday included cake!

Christmas also meant finally having a living room in our new house. The newly upholstered living room furniture arrived just in time - on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

Christmas meant the end of a long overdue season of the Crystal Ball trophy, an NFL picks game invented and built by my dad when we lived in Racine. It's been a long time since we've had the contest, but it started up again this year and either Peter or my dad will be this year's winner. We'll know on Sunday.

Christmas meant Quizup. This was definitely the year of the Quizup Christmas. Mary introduced us to this highly addictive game and we played it incessantly.

Christmas meant decorating our tree on Christmas Eve as always.

And for a 13-year old Polish tree that's traveled the globe, it still looks pretty good.

Christmas meant the boys are finally taking home their nutcrackers, gifts from my parents over 10 years ago.

Christmas inevitably meant getting tired.

See what I mean?

And in a Harrison first, Christmas meant karaoke. We found a karaoke channel and everyone got into it. Really got into it. (I have videos, which I'm keeping for future blackmailing opportunities.)

 But mostly Christmas meant being together.

You already knew that Christmas meant presents.

 Everyone had on their Christmas pajamas.

It was a year of super thoughtful gift selections.

It was also a very Packer Christmas. (Today, as you might know, Santa came through again when it was announced that a certain quarterback is playing in the big game against the Bears on Sunday. John called it a "Christmas miracle.")

Christmas also meant the continuation of the annual Harrison movie marathon, which this year was quite a misnomer as we only got to one movie together. But with everyone's work and travel schedules we're glad to have seen one. We saw American Hustle, thanks to a Christmas gift from Brad's parents. It was a nice way to top off Christmas!

But of course Christmas also meant eventually saying goodbye and that time is already here. Tonight we met at McGurk's in Soulard for a last dinner together before everyone leaves town. Tomorrow night John and Troy start their drive to Boston, and Saturday morning the rest of us fly to California for the Rose Bowl.

We all had so much fun being together, enjoying new and old traditions, and we're of course looking forward to the next time we can all be under one roof again. It can't be too soon. Merry Christmas!