The Park' s Christmas traditions have changed this year and it was a change everyone enjoyed, especially the kids. We all get together on Christmas Eve at my son's house in Tehachapi. Then everyone can have their own Christmas Morning at home.
Until a year ago we were a family owned and run Residential and Commercial Construction Business. We closed down a year ago leaving 2 of our three sons and my husband and I without an income.
We have all found income of sorts, but after 25 years it was a shock to our pocketbooks.
We always all exchanged gifts with everyone and it took about 3 hrs. to open presents. This year we asked that there be no gifts for the adults and one of my DIL's suggested that the kids draw names and make a gift. Well, the three DIL's put there heads together and came up with the greatest idea. They drew names and were to make a picture or write something (age appropriate) for the cousin they drew. Then they were to frame it. Each year they draw names and make another picture to fit the same frames. Year after year they will put the new picture on top and the frame will become a keepsake with all the pictures. It will be fun seeing the scribbles and primitive pictures change for each child.
They had so much fun finding out who drew their name and each one loved whatever they got, as you can see in our picture. They were all so sweet and apprecitive where in previous years it was total cauous when we all had multiple presents to open, and no one could remember the next day who gave who what.