Christmas 07

Christmas this year was indeed different. That is putting it VERY mildly! Being used to the large family doos where everyone is together and there is much merriment and entertainment, cooking and feasting... our christmas was very different. Not bad, just different. Colin and I, being very sensitive to the fact that the girls were used to the big gathering with lots of fuss and attention, we probably overcompensated with presents. considering that for their birthdays this year they only got 2 or 3 presents and their stash of belongings was only very slowly being replenished after it was all hauled off to the orphanage before we left, we didn't feel too bad in spoiling them this year. Afterall, we had enough family members who were not with us who we labelled presents from - all the grannies and grandpas, aunts and uncles, and of course the nearly arriving cousins!

So, Christmas eve Colin & I sat up until the early hours wrapping pressies and making christmas stockings. We had organised christmas candles for the girls to light (for Father Christmas to find his way around) and of course, the standard cookies and milk.

The array of gifts was truly a sight!

Sarah has been making christmas decorations by the bucket load since early November, so the walls were also adorned for the occasion.
The christmas stockings were filled and tied to the (turned off) heater, including stockings for Mandy, Michael & A.Mish & U.Pierre.
Inevitably, the girls woke up earlier than the sparrows and we were woken up with the very loud protests that the lounge door was locked (all precautions necessary) and they could barely restrain themselves long enough for us to switch on the camera and adequately aim and fire.
After much examination, the pressie handout and unwrapping began. The tree was stashed with the Marais' presents as well, so the gifts were carefully examined and unwrapped.
Colin managed to find Ambee another cow (her "orignal" cow (stage left) really needs to retire), which was adopted as quickly as the first and has been a firm favourite ever since.
During the afternoon, we made our way to the Plzen lake (Bolevec) and enjoyed a couple of hours of play time on the sleighs before it was too dark and cold to see any longer.
Tomorrow brings the arrival of the long awaited couzins ... and round 2 of Christmas! Today was a glorious christmas day - different, but isn't that what we live for these days? Wonderfully different!