Daugs Family Christmas Party 2011.

The family party was my job this year. And somehow I felt all planned out this year, and the inspiration for the party just wasn't coming to me. But after a conversation with my sista Rachie, it all started to come together. I went with a theme of "Daugs family Christmas of the past, present, and future". I must say that it turned out smashing!! Dad says best family party ever, and everyone loved it!! (We did have to rush when another family showed up at the church for their family party. The building was double booked. Oops. And I did spend a little too much time at the mic. But overall, it was grand!!)

To represent the past family Christmases, we all brought our childhood stockings, that my mom made for us as we were born. We each had a name and we had to fill that persons stocking with things they would have traditionally got as a child. We always each got specific things. Olives and V-8, Andes candies and Lifesavor books, batteries for the gifts that would come later, McD's gift certificates, fuzzy footie socks, slinkies, Chicklets gum, and more. SUCH, FUN, MEMORIES!!

The advent calendar. This is what our advent calendar looked like growing up. The original had an unfortunate accident a couple of years ago. I am proud to say that mine is 100% made by my mom, the magic-maker of our Christmases past. The others are all made by the gals in the family who can sew and create, using the original pattern. I love it that we all have the same one for our own families. Everyone brought theirs to hang up at the party. We're not a sentimental, nostalgic group at all, huh??!!

To represent the family Christmas parties of the future, we had the greats perform. The great-grandchildren, that is. We have six of this next generation now. Crazy to believe. Their parents are the ones who acted out the nativity at the family parties when I was a teenager and young adult---now those little shepherds are parents themselves!! These two gals stole the whole show!! Nora was over-the-top-hilariously-adorable doing her tap dance moves. We were all in stitches watching her. She was confident and serious and that girl can move!! She's three!! And the other three-year old, little Miss Emma, was equally adorable and amazing!! She sang, "Let it snow". Every single word!!! On her own!! With some very proud grandparents mouthing the words in the audience.

The meal was breakfast. It was a feast of Daugs family breakfast memories with yellow pancakes, popovers (that didn't pop--Mom, where are you??), bran muffins (that were all wrong--Mom, hello??), rice and raisins (that was NOT rice and raisins--Mother, we needed you!!), apple coffee breakfast cake (perfect Judy!!), hot cocoa with the big marshmallows cause that's how we used to do it, OJ and home pressed apple juice, mini cereal boxes and Cinnamon toast, and more. So fun!!

Christmas present...the grand kids pose for the nativity while "Away in a Manger" plays and we all snap lots of photos. We kind of gave up the acting it out part this year and just placed the kids in the scene.

The kids all exchanged gifts, made nativity ornaments, and decorated Christmas card keepsake boxes.

Here are the girls, minus Kim and Naomi. Toop, where were you?? And that man with Amy? Welcome to the family Brian!!

One highlight of the party was a gift from Rachel to all of us. She had our old German Christmas record put onto CD's for all of us. It's what we listened to year after year as we decorated the tree. The "cling-a-ling bells" song was our favorite. I don;t understand a word of most of the songs...but hearing them takes me right back to being a kid. We did all sing "Stille Nacht" together at the end of the party. Andrew played his bagpipes and he and Shari sang "Thankful" by Josh Groban. Perfect party. Perfect, totally imperfect family!! I do love em!!!