Christmas Celebrations December 2025 - Dec 22 - 27th

Merry Christmas 2025

Christmas is finally here! Amazing a long awaited celebration that you wait so long for, is over in a flash!

Ray, Deb, Aaron, Kristi, Jason, Dale, Nadine and Gizmo, Amelia and Olaf.

On Monday, I did last minute shopping for our Christmas Feasts. Tuesday, more prepping for dinner. Jason and Amelia arrived after lunch on Tuesday, with the rest of the bunch arriving Wednesday afternoon. Kristi is on call on Tuesday, so after she had a bit of sleep she arrived about 3pm. It's great to give Amelia a day to just enjoy being here before it got crazy so she didn't get too "wired up" and end up with a melt down lol She's so excited for Christmas this year.

She played with her puzzles with Grandpa. We went out for dinner at Jake's, so I didn't have to cook and make a mess in my kitchen before the "big cook". :)

Morning cuddles.

Wednesday, Christmas Eve, Jason made up a charcutterie board for nibbles for the afternoon, showing off the charcutterie board he made me for my birthday. The rest of the crew arrived at 2 pm.

Jason's friend Aaron, Amelia and Nadine.

I made a ham dinner with scalloped potatoes.

After dinner, Amelia is able to open one present to play with. We bought her this dinosaur truck.

It's a hit!

I did most of the food prep and cooking but after that, I didn't have to touch a dish. I had a great kitchen cleanup crew. Thanks a bunch!

What ? you don't want your picture taken lol

Solving world problems lol

Jason and Aaron emptying all the boxes and bags of gifts to place them back under the tree for the morning after Amelia went to bed. Of course the majority of them were for her. :)

Christmas morning, we were all up by 6am much to Dale's disgust lol He usually gets up at 10 am on weekends, but when you have a granddaughter, who is almost 5, and very excited for Christmas, up you get!

Amelia helping Olaf with his stocking.

Sometimes the boxes are the best part!

Jason and Kristi got us Christmas napkins with all our names on them. Nadine and Dale got us napkin rings with our names on it. So funny, neither of them knew what the other was getting us. 

Knowing Amelia was getting a Brio train set for Christmas, I got her and Grandpa conductor hats.

Uncle Aaron spoiled Amelia. Here they are playing a new game he got her.

Amelia was a great little elf, handing out gifts and helping to unwrap them lol

My new apron from Pat.

Amelia wearing her new engineer's hat we got her.

Amelia managed this year, to keep unwrapping and handing out presents for the three hours it took. Last year we had 3 breaks and didn't finish until late in the afternoon. I made a wife saver's breakfast this morning so we didn't have to wait to eat after we were done opening.

Most of the group had a relaxing afternoon, Dale and Nadine even had a nap. lol I was busy getting the Prime Rib Roast on the barbecue and getting the fixin's together. 

Time to tidy up and get rid of all the boxes etc. Amelia stayed in her PJ's all day until picture time. At 3:30 we had our annual Christmas picture in front of the fireplace. Amazingly, Ray was able to get it in one take, including the dogs in the picture! Nadine and Amelia rarely smile for pictures.

Pat, Darryl and daughter Gail arrived at 5 for dinner with us. Their celebration with their family is not until tomorrow.

My Prime Rib Roast turned out fabulous, if I do say so myself. It's the largest roast I've done, 10.25 pounds. Nadine provided all the desserts for the 2 dinners. Tonight it's sticky toffee puddings.

Jason, with his long arms was able to snap a picture of us all. Starting at the end of the table clockwise, Pat, Darryl, their daughter Gail, Dale, Nadine, Deb, Ray, Jason, Kristi, Amelia and Aaron.

Merry Christmas!

Again, great cleanup crew!

Another great dinner with family and friends. 

Boxing day after I made a big breakfast, everyone was out the door by 11 am. Kristi and family had another event to go to at 4 pm. Sure got quiet around here. :)

Ray and I tidied up a bit then relaxed for the day. I even had a nap. lol Dinner tonight was at Pat and Darryl's for their big Christmas dinner.

Reegan, Emily, Grandma Betty and Adam

Ray, Deb, Ernie, Laura, Ashton and Sevie

Ray, Darryl and Sevie

Thing one, thing two and thing three, Pat's three grandchildren.

Back home for 9:30 pm. What a great few days. Time to relax a bit.

Here is a picture of the lake on the morning of the 27th. Finally some sunshine and no rain. I think it has rained every day for three weeks! Clear and Frosty!

Next up New Year's!

Stormy weather ... and first Laurel comes to visit then Steve and Dianne - Dec 15 - 21

Monday and another quiet day in the rain. The lake is up, but not too bad. It's really windy though. June, from next door, called us just as we were coming home from lunch out. The lid to our wood deck box by the gazebo on the dock, blew right off and is hanging in the water!!!! Fortunately the box is bolted to the dock. The lid's attached with a well screwed in piano hinge on one side and hasps locked with carabiners on the other. Somehow the wind got underneath and tore out the hasps, and the air hinges and ripped all the piano hinge except for about 1foot.  Wow! At least we were able to retrieve the lid, so Ray doesn't have to make another one.

The lake isn't too high earlier in the week.

Since then, we've had 3 more "atmospheric rivers of rain, and more rain. The lake is more than full now. Everyone's ramp to their dock is either flat or the ramp is higher at the dock and some the ramp is under water.

You can see the piling closest is even with the ramp now.

With the rising of the lake, this huge log/stump is floating out front. We have our fingers crossed it doesn't get blown over here.

Over the next few days I watched the level slowly climb. That big stump did indeed come to see us. Ray helped Mike next door get it off his beach. Mike had waders to get onto Darryl's dock to push it off. These stumps get lodged under docks, damaging them.

The snow line is getting closer.

Wednesday, our friend Laurel came for a 2 night stay. Even though the weather is crappy, we enjoyed the visit. Lots of wine and laughs.

Thursday morning I made a quick run into Duncan to pick up some prime rib on special at Superstore. When I got back Ray took us out for breakfast at the Riverside Cafe.

Afternoon spent working on Ray's puzzle. Laurel brought him 3 more as a gift and I received a beautiful azalea to plant next spring in my garden.

The lake is up even further as of Thursday, slowly climbing up our stairs. Fortunately with it turning to snow on the mountains, not as much water is flowing into the lake.

Friday morning we'd arranged for the local daycare to bring the "littles" to see the Christmas Villages. What a hoot. They were enthralled. Shortbread and juice boxes while colouring topped it off.

The kids faces are blurred purposely. Here they come in the bus.

They stayed for half an hour and then back on the bus. This is their last day of daycare before the holidays.

After sweeping up the cookie crumbs and using lysol wipes to wipe everything down so the rest of us don't get any germs for Christmas, we were ready for our next batch of company tomorrow. :)

Ray took me to lunch at Jake's and we even had a big snow squall come through. It didn't stick though.

Saturday afternoon, Steve and Dianne arrived for their overnight stay before heading to their Christmas Festivities in Victoria and Coquitlam. Great visit. I invited Pat and Darryl over for dinner as well. Smoke ribs, my Holiday Baked Beans and a shaved brussel salad. Lots of wine was drank lol Maybe a little too much for some (me!)

Ray turned on the Bryan Adams A Great Big Christmas Jam that we taped. Great music.

We all went to bed by 10 pm. Another great evening.

Sunday, pretty quiet day. I'm a little under the weather ... probably from the wine. :) More rain all day. Glad we have so many Christmas lights to turn on to cheer us up. Now to get ready for our Christmas with the kids. Jason and Amelia arrive on the 23rd, and Kristi and Jason's parents and his friend Aaron, arrive on the 24th. Time to get my menu finalized.