Canvas for Christmas: Day 2

Ok, THAT was fun. :) It was so hard not to comment back to you on all of your amazing memories, but I didn't think it would be fair to enter myself in the drawing! I have to tell you after reading the ones about children born or pets received on that day I looked over at Riley, and he was giving me the evil eye.

While I wrote about my most memorable gift yesterday, my best Christmas gift ever was Riley in 2003, of course. A few more pupcorn treats and he may just forgive me for that snafu.

So, on with the results! Thanks to Random.org I can say: Congratulations Neas Nuttiness!!!

Here was her most memorable gift (and it's a doozy!!!):

The most memorable gift that I ever received for Christmas, must be child #7 who was born on Christmas Eve!

I have quick deliveries, and most of the staff at the hospital know me - BUT - on this night there was a new "crew on board", and the sweet little nurse, didn't want to call my doctor when I arrived. Luckily, he is a dear man (and he and his family are dear friends) and we have home and cell numbers, soooooooooo dear husband gave him a call. About 3 minutes after we arrived upstairs, I gave birth (fully dressed I might add) in the birthing room, where said sweet little nurse put me, in order to monitor my progress. I was on top of a lovely comforter (not so lovely afterwards I might add), and sweet little nurse kept saying "STOP - you can't do that...the doctor isn't here!"

Ralph (the doc) showed up after Solomon was "checked, wrapped, and in my arms". He got stuck in Christmas Eve traffic, and was so frantic to get to me, that when he arrived at the hospital...he pulled into the ambulance entrance, jumped out of his car (still running) and came flying up the stairs to the maternity wing. Thank goodness a quick thinking security guard moved the car, locked it up, and brought the keys upstairs.

All this took place during the staff Christmas Party (Yum - I got some really good eats that night!), so several of the staff's husbands got to listen in from down the hall,to the "goings ons" in the birthing room. Thank goodness for them, I'm not a screamer during labor and delivery!

Yes my most memorable Christmas gift, was Solomon Rafael, born December 24, 1989.

Neas: Email me at gitzengirl@gmail.com with your mailing address!

Here's today's canvas you can win: (the square accents have light blue in them; hard to see in the photo) 

I don't know about all of you, but I've listened to many-a-friend lament over Christmas traditions after they were married. Apparently the debate of when to open Christmas presents is enough to incite talk of divorce, or at the very least great insults toward the opposing side of the family's traditions.

In my family, the tradition was born out of necessity more than anything else. We would start with food: some type of hors d'oeuvres, and then soup and sandwich. And of course sweet treats, too. One of my favorite parts was that we used mom's good china, crystal glasses and wedding silver for the place settings... nothing like a pretty table to make it all feel special.

Of course, trying to be patient through the meal knowing there were gifts under a twinkling tree in the next room wasn't the easiest task, but we managed.

Then we'd gather in the living room and gifts would be handed out one at a time... no random ripping through paper. Everyone would "ooh and ahh" and move on to the next gift. While it was exciting and respectful and fun, what it was really about was stalling for time.

Mom and Dad were just trying to keep six kids awake way past their bedtimes so we wouldn't fall asleep before heading out to Midnight Mass. I always thought it was magical... going into church with the air crisp in the dark of night. We'd walk up to the door with sounds of the choir echoing into the darkness and the light inside illuminating the details of the stained glass windows. Christmas was magical for so many reasons, not the least of which was celebrating the birthday of Jesus as the chimes announced the midnight hour.

We'd get back home all tucked in our beds (I don't remember that part as I usually fell asleep at some point during Mass or the ride home), and waking in the morning knowing that it was Christmas and Santa had arrived was nothing short of spectacular.

Answer this question in the comment section to win today's canvas:
Do you open gifts Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? And did you have to compromise about it after marriage?