Merry Christmas!

This Christmas season has been a full one, and we have gotten to spend more time than the last two years enjoying the holiday events in our own area. This is our third Christmas living in the DC area, but really our fist time spending the entire season at home.

A couple weeks ago we had family members come stay with us, and we went to the ICE event at national harbor. They had re-created the entire story of the Grinch in larger than life ice sculptures.

It was only 9 degrees inside, so we had to bundle up in their special parkas before we could enter.

Inside who-ville.

We spent most of the two days leading up to Christmas cooking and getting ready. Every year growing up Henry's Grandma would make homemade tamales, and Henry would get to help. This year we decided to start our own tradition and try to make both the Guatemalan tamales that Henry grew up with, and some Mexican style tamales. They were a lot of work, but worth it.

Yum!
We also made about 20 loaves of banana and Cranberry bread to take to friends and neighbors.

We had a wonderful holiday, and we are looking forward to the new year and all the changes it is going to bring.

The Classics Really Are The Best

As soon as the Christmas season hits I get out the holiday movies. Good, cheesy or otherwise there is something great about Christmas movies, especially the classics. This year we have a new addition to our lineup. We got a compilation of Christmas specials which includes (among other things) the original Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and Frosty Returns.

It had been years since I had watched most of them, which makes it even more fun. I think my favorite thing about re-watching all of these is that it is the first time that Henry has seen any of them. It’s been fun to watch him discover the absurd comedy for the first time, and to see him laugh at things like the elf’s desire to become a dentist. We still have to watch Frosty and Frosty returns, but this weekend’s feature film is an all time favorite; The Muppet Christmas Carol. If you haven’t seen it I strongly suggest you rent, buy, borrow or otherwise get a copy of it within the next two weeks. There is just something about Muppets reciting Dickens that makes it feel more like Christmas.