(Please also see Mom's version (she took more decorations pictures than I did) and Kyle's version.)
I made sure to take pictures so be grateful this isn't quite as boring as it could be.
First of all -- our house is COVERED in Christmas decorations. My mom hangs up all of our elementary school decorations on the kitchen wall above the table.
My Rudolph always gets made fun of the most because his nose is lower than his mouth. Somehow this made sense in my elementary school mind.
Christmas Eve officially begins with the Christmas Eve Program. Except this year, we went family band-ing first... like caroling, only with instruments. Mike and Erin play tenor and alto sax, respectively, Evan plays trumpet, Kyle trombone, Mollie flute, and me, clarinet. We only went to one family this year, which is fine by all of us. The following is a picture I took in the car. Probably my favorite one of this Christmas.
When we got home from that, we finally began our Christmas Eve Program, which consists of singing, musical numbers and stories (every family member is required to participate in some way) and culminates with Dad reading the story of Christ's birth out of Luke, a closing hymn and prayer/blessing on the refreshments. Then we snack on traditional (for the Dickersons) Christmas Eve foods of Wheat Thins, Triscuits, little weenies, fruit (mom's addition this year), wassail and a veritable array of candy, chocolate and Christmas cookies. Then we open presents from each other.
The fireplace in the living room.
Mollie and I playing our obligatory musical number.
Mike, Mollie and Kyle looking oh so enthused.
Mom reading a story.
This year mom bought musical "crackers" for us to open. Each contained an awesome hat and numbered whistle so you could play Christmas carols.
Evan obviously liked his the best.
Our snack table in the dining room. (This picture was taken Christmas morning.)
This year Erin didn't come home but had Christmas in Provo with her little family instead. But we got her on WebCam and we put her on speaker phone so she could be a part of our opening presents.
Our Christmas tree in the family room with all the sibling presents under it.
Christmas morning we aren't allowed to come downstairs until everyone is out of bed. This year I beat Mike and Evan out of bed with an empty wrapping paper tube. (I will have to remember this for next year -- it worked brilliantly. Not only could you poke and hit people, but if you hit it against the wall it makes an amazingly obnoxious sound. It was perfect.) Once we come downstairs we have to stand and get our picture taken before we get to open our stockings.
Mike's Sugar Daddy pajama pants.
On the stairs. This is never an attractive picture of anybody.
Mom and Dad taking our picture on the stairs Christmas morning.
Christmas morning!!
More recently mom makes us open presents one at a time in order to draw out the process for as long as possible. Christmas afternoon usually consists of napping, snacking, and messing with new Christmas gifts. This year after Christmas dinner, we played Dad's new Dilbert game. Though complicated, we all enjoyed the "Circle of Trust" card. Everyone was required to hold hands until a new card was played. If they broke the circle with more than one hand, or at any other time than to take their turn, they lost crucial "Happiness" points, and then had to rejoin the circle anyway. Mollie and I were exempt because we were Dilbert and when you're Dilbert you don't have to follow the rules if you don't want to.
The "Circle of Trust".
And that, my dear friends, pretty much sums up Christmas at the Dickersons. Now you know.
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