Christmas 2020: The One When We Stayed Home (Alone)

This is quite the year to remember (don't we all want it to be over?).  While many people may have orchestrated "socially distanced" Christmases, or, having recovered from COVID, felt safe to visit with friends and/or out-of-town family, it was a quiet day of us four alone in these parts, after the Silent, Holy Night.

We worked yesterday, and Kelvin got his first COVID-19 Moderna vaccine as a Christmas Eve gift! Whoop whoop (but his arm is very sore, like mine was).

The kids put out a note, cookies, and "reindeer food" for Santa and his crew before retiring on Christmas Eve.  Iver didn't sleep well as he was too excited!

Santa ate it all up...

... and delivered.

Thanks to extremely generous family members, the kids spent all morning opening and playing with various gifts (with some boxes still untouched because it was just so overwhelming!).  The Speedster remote-controlled cars from my sister/Marco and a kids' digital camera from Katherine were some of the favorites. 

Inside the AirFort

I listened to the taped Christmas service of Redeemer Lutheran (my old church in McLean).

We FaceTimed with my parents and, later, sister Vanessa with Marco.

It was a pretty rainy day but went on a couple of walks, and Iver and I watched Home Alone during Niall's nap.

"Christmas Dinner" for us four included Hot and Sour soup I made from a NYT cooking recipe, and take-out Chinese food Kelvin bought.  MMM. 

We then drove around on another one of the holiday light routes recommended in our town.  

Friends fans will appreciate this (and the blog title)!

This house impressively had its light synced to 99.5 and we witnessed Trans Siberian Orchestra's Carol of the Bells!

Niall was a cranky Scrooge today, and refused to smile for a photo with me, nor eat dinner, but we finally tricked him into one shot by the tree.

In other, "Christmas pics," here are some more of Iver's recently drawn cartoons (Christmas-themed).

Mistletoe

The Grinch

Nutcracker

Buddy the Elf!

School gingerbread house

 Very Hygge at home

We sincerely hope that next year and next year's holiday season may include connecting with our dear families, but we made the best of our low-key "quarantine" Christmas. It was actually quite a gift to wake up in our own home and to not have any of the stresses of holiday travel. Joy, peace, hope, and love to you! Merry COVID Christmas!