We had what my daughter thought was one of the best yet

Christmas Eve was very relaxed this year. I normally have a ton of family in Christmas Eve, but this year I decided that I just wanted a quiet evening, with my immediate family and close friends stopping by.

We had a few treats, wings, mozza sticks, homemade meat pie, veggies, bread and dip and some fresh fruit to snack on. The grown-ups had pomegranate martinis or red wine, while the seniors and little ones frank chocolate milk or ginger ale. Everyone was home by 10:00, so the presents and stocking stuffers were placed under the tree or in the stockings, and we were in bed by 11:00.

Christmas morning saw me up at 5:00, as DD was up complaining of not feeling good, so she woke me up to tell me, then she fell back asleep. I was up for the day... I decided to do some laundry around 6:00, and fell down the back stairs, after tripping over the legs of my Pj's, I bruised my hip, laughed and carried on.

DD woke up at 9:00, in great spirits, and opened her gifts. She received a box of goodies from Lush, Beauty and the Beast DVD, body butter, mixing bowls, Pj's slippers, Steven Kings new book, plus lots of chocolate, 2 mini bottles of SpaRitiuals nail polish ( it's vegan), and tweezers, plus a bar of homemade coconut soap that's made by a local company. ( these things were from me).

She also received texting mittens ( 1/2 thumbs), a snood, wool socks and eye shadow from my parents ( my mom knit everything), pj's and jeans from my sister, a ring from my brother and his family that say's " follow your dreams", a gift card from my other sister, cash from her other grandmother, and a gift card for a restaurant from my uncle and his wife ( I call him my brother and his little girl my niece, but she's actually my first cousin)

DD bought me new slippers, Room by Emma Donahue ( which I'm reading now), plus I received Love Spell products from my family too.

we had brunch at my sisters, watched my nephew play with his toys, went to my parents to see them open their gifts ( my sister and I bought them new knives, plus 2 tickets to see Stuart McLean in March.

I walked the dog, hung the bed sheets on the clothes line, and DD and I got ready to go and visit a few people. We stopped first to see my god-daughter and her family. When we arrived, we were treated to a feed of mussels, with bread and dip, and then we got to see the gifts that the kids received. My friends don't go overboard buying their girls things, which is nice to see. The girls loved their Jammies and books.

We then stopped in to see DD's other grandmother and her new beau. DD liked her grandmothers new beau, and then we were off to my mothers for turkey dinner. We were home by 7:00 and I took the sheets off the line ( the wind was strong so the sheets actually dried), put my PJ's on and read.

DD's dad called, and she chatted with him and her Uncle on the phone, then she went to stay the night with friends.

Before she left, she thanked me for a great day... I'm very grateful to have a DD who was thankful for all she received. It was a simple, relaxed Christmas, and one that will live on in our memories for a very long time!