Welp…..we made it through another year and here we are at the beginning of 2023. PJ’s December photo challenge centered around the holidays so there was no shortage of photos to choose from this month!
Christmas Day looks very different now that we don’t have littles under our roof anymore. It’s much quieter. Entrepreneur and I slept in a little, made breakfast and toasted Christmas with mimosas. Then, we eased into the day at our own pace. It was a white Christmas, but the negative temps and wind chills prohibited us from enjoying the outdoors.
However, before that laid-back Christmas morning unfolded, our December was far from quiet. My teaching gig ended for the semester the first week in December with the usual flurry of student panic before client presentations. Family commitments took over most of the weekends. Fortunately, we finished gift shopping around Thanksgiving so there were only the last-minute stocking stuffers to buy. When it was all said and done, before Christmas morning, we had three family Christmas gatherings plus I hosted a Christmas Ladies Luncheon for some dear friends. And, here’s what kept us busy the rest of the time….
Holiday 1
The past few years, the grands have wanted to sleep under the lights of the Christmas tree when they stay with us. And, who am I to refuse when I can get a precious memory like this?!
Holiday 2
Oh, cozy night……There is something about sitting in silence late at night with the glow of Christmas lights that is calming to me.
Holiday 3
Our daughter (’85) works at a company that hosts Breakfast with Santa every year for children of the employees complete with face painting and crafts. Twix moved from “believer” to “keeper of the secret” this year so there was no way she was sitting on Santa’s lap. But, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear this man is the real Santa….he’s that good!
Holiday 4
No Christmas season is complete without a visit to our church’s Magic Tree. It’s an impressive 85-foot Sycamore tree with more than 200,000+ lights. You can read about this magnificent labor of love HERE.
Holiday 5
Every year I try and take some pics of the grands in Santa hats. While I did that again HERE, this one was too cute to pass up.
Holiday Bonus
You thought I’d forgot about Cabo, the doodle dog? Of course not! Decked out in his Santa hat and scarf, he’s always included among my little elves.
Those are my holiday pics for December. Check out PJ’s place for other holiday hoopla from around the world! And, may 2023 be a blessing to you and yours.
Peripheral Perceptions 
What a lovely post. Love the sleeping grand under the tree and Cabo the very best.
I linked this post to Awww Mondays.
Have a fabulous day and week. Happy New Year, Lisa. ♥
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EVERY time I read one of your posts I take my right foot and kick my left leg because I am SO BAD at remembering to take family photos! 🙂 Fortunately, Mr GeoK usually has it covered – but since those are his photos and not mine, I don’t use them for PBC posts. Anyhow, that’s a long preamble to my real point, which is that this is another heart-warming set of family photos you will undoubtedly cherish over the years to come. I like the description of transitioning from “believer” to “keeper of the secret.” And thanks for sharing another photo of that magnificent sycamore tree all lit up for Christmas. Wishing you and yours all the best in 2023.
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Lisa- Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all good thing to you.
ROG
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Beautiful photos! What a lovely Christmas you had.
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Beautiful photos. Happy New Year! XO
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Those are all such wonderful photos, real smile makers! Howdy Cabo! We all wish you a most Happy New Year! ~Brian, Simon, Seal, Kiki, Maxwell and Macy
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What a fun holiday, it all looks so beautiful, especially those sweet girls. I pray you have a blessed and beautiful 2023!
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Happy New Year. It looks like y’all had a great December.
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There really is something magical about sitting in a dark room with nothing more than Christmas lights glowing. I think it helps you to forget about the bad in the world and to allow the happiness where it should be!
And believe is what we all should always do. What we believe in, though, just changes. I still believe in the magic of the season fully.
and love the photo of Cabo. Not sure Harper will EVER get to that level!
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Your living room looks very festive and cozy, I wouldn’t mind taking at least a nap underneath the tree!
Breakfast with Santa – how fun!
I remember the Magic Tree from previous years, it must be even more amazing to see it in person than on pictures.
Happy new year, Lisa!
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