I miss my own family’s large holiday gatherings. We used to do Italian night on Christmas Eve at one uncles place and then regular Christmas dinner at another aunts place and everybody would come. Now they’re all passed away and the kids are scattered to the wind…

We've started a tradition to cook a meal from another culture each year, we choose recipes that are used for celebrations and we go to the library and check out a bunch of cook books and books for our 4 year old on that culture. This year: GREECE! We are roasting a leg of lamb, making a butternut squash moussaka, roasting a whole head of cauliflower and smothering it with herbs, feta and Greek honey. My in-laws should arrive in a few hours, our daughter is playing with her new toys and the wood stove is roaring. Sending vibes out, happy holidays!

It's such a change now that the kids are teenagers. When they were little, we had to tell them to wait, to NOT get up super early and run downstairs. Now, we agree on a time to wake them up after letting them sleep in. Everyone else is still in bed, me and the dogs are the only ones up.

We'll eventually have breakfast - homemade cinnamon rolls, bacon, eggs, fruit, maybe a mimosa or two - then start opening presents. No rush.

Then this afternoon we'll go over to my parent's for round 2 and a nice dinner that I don't have to cook.

Mer Crimmas RVA

It was not easy... Reservations opened on September 25th and I had to spend 20 minutes calling to just not get a busy signal and waited on hold for a half hour to get them. By the time I got to talk to a person she said pretty much all they had left were tables for two.

Merry Christmas all! After a hectic month, today may be the first truly relaxing day in ages. Sleeping in as kids are older, gifts, breakfast, watching football or a movie together, reading. Over to a friend’s for dinner so we don’t even have to clean up our mess. A rare treat!

Awww that’s the best Christmas gift! Hope he continues to get better.

So sorry about your injury and will miss you out there this round — let’s stay in touch for next time. If you’re on Strava and if you feel comfortable doing so, DM me your info and I’ll find you there!

True believers celebrate the Lexus December to Remember. Love and LX 600 to all.

Woot! You’re in. Look for a DM in the coming days!

Awesome! Will be delighted to have your company! 🙌

Always wanted to do that! Any tips for when to put in a reservation? I'd imagine you'd need to get a spot months prior.

A few! Nice! 💪

Non traditional meals for Christmas and thanksgiving are the BEST. Last year we had enchiladas

Oh man, I feel that last part. Same here. Hope your memories of them stay strong.

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Steaming tamales this morning then having family over to help eat them!! A day full of good food and festivity.

Now I want gingerbread stout and loads of pasta. I guess it'll have to wait until I get home. In the meantime I'll settle for plenty of rum and some mofongo!

I even have time for a shower before I wake the kids at 9. I miss those early Christmas mornings when they were little but this is really nice!

Merry Christmas! I worked last Chstimas, so I know how sucky it is. I'm most likely going to browse the web. I'm debating if I should solo travel to NOLA on that holiday for the 16th.

“Merry Christmas” can also spell “Creamy Shits”. Just heard someone say that, I’m dying.

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Thanks for the reassurance that it's super unlikely that that section would freeze and burst. Def gonna always shut off from street meter from now on.

First day in a week my ill and recovering cat woke me because he wanted breakfast. Sometimes I love being abruptly awakened by his obnoxious crying. Merry Christmas!

Core family is coming over for breakfast and presents this morning then off to my aunts for lunch with the extended fam. Heading to Florida tonight to see my partners family… a little disappointed it won’t be as warm there as I had hoped lol