We Three Jacksons: Christmas in Canada 2010

This year it was time for us to spend Christmas in Canada again. We had such a great time! It was wonderful getting to see everybody again - it had been way too long. We went up for 8 days and enjoyed our time to rest, relax, and catch up with everybody (and maybe shop too!).

Our first full day there we went to lunch and then Andrew and his Dad went home and Vivien and I went grocery shopping. I wish I could say we did more that day, but truly, grocery shopping was pretty much it, besides lunch and dinner. Although, we did go and look at lights after dinner, which was quite nice (and part of my family's Christmas Eve traditions, so I was glad I still got to do it in Canada) and then went home and put up the Christmas tree. Doug and Vivien waited on us to get there so we could help. We had fun helping decorate the tree!

On Christmas Eve we had quite a busy day at home. From the time we got up (late) Andrew and I were in the kitchen cooking up a storm. We made cranberry jello salad, Christmas cookies, 2 pumpkin pies, 2 pecan pies, pumpkin bread, and got the dressing ready to bake the next day. It was a busy day in the kitchen, but we accomplished a lot and Andrew was a really big help. In addition to all of that cooking, we also had some Christmas Eve traditions to attend to. I'm pretty insistent that I have a hamburger for dinner on Christmas Eve (Greaves' family tradition - whether they meant for it to become one or not!) so Andrew called different hamburger restaurants to find out when they closed. Everything was closing at either 3:00 or 5:00, so we went to a hamburger joint around 3:30 and ate our hamburgers. We went to the Christmas Eve service at Doug and Vivien's church at 7:00 and then came home, relaxed, and watched It's a Wonderful Life - one of my favorite Christmas movies, and surprisingly Doug hadn't seen it before. Then on to bed, wearing our annual Christmas pajamas.

Andrew helping me cook

Christmas Cookies!


Yummy Pecan Pie

On Christmas Day, we got up and went downstairs to open presents. After opening presents and taking some pictures, we ate breakfast and then went and got ready for the day. Now, in the Greaves' household, Christmas Day is pretty much spent laying around and napping. Not so in the Jackson household! We were hosting Christmas dinner for about 30 people (hence all of the cooking on Christmas Eve) and Vivien and I had to cook for all of them. So, needless to say, after talking to my family and wishing them a Merry Christmas, I spent the better part of the afternoon in the kitchen cooking some more. Vivien did the turkey and a few vegetables and I baked the dressing, made the green bean casserole, peas and cheese, sweet potatoes, and brussels sprouts with pecans and cranberries. It was a busy afternoon cooking furiously, but everything came out wonderfully. The food and the company were all delightful and, although 30 people is certainly a lot, we had a great time getting to see everyone again and visit. (And, I was happy to help cook because it meant I got to "southernize" the Canadians a bit!)

annual Christmas pjs

Christmas morning

The next day, we had a friend over for dinner and had some great conversation with him. It's always nice to catch up with old friends that we don't get to see often, and Rob is certainly one of them!


Rob, Sarah, and Andrew

Finally, the day before we left, we went to an 80th birthday party for Andrew's uncle and Doug's cousin. Bob had turned 80 a few weeks earlier, and Gwen was turning 80 in a few days, so the family threw them a party. It was great fun!