Our {2nd} Indian Christmas

Last year we were back in the U.S. for Christmas, so this year was our second time to celebrate Christmas in India! We had such a great, great time. Although we of course missed being with our families a ton, we had such a wonderful time with our coworkers here, that it still felt like such a special Christmas! Here's what we did:

First, some Christmas anticipation - setting up the decorations, coloring & painting some ornaments for the tree, and investigating presents under the tree!

Their snowmen banner...we later added a "Countdown Till Christmas" underneath

Dancing in front of the Christmas display at our mall

 Decorating sugar cookies on Christmas Eve!

In the evening of Christmas Eve, our team got dressed up and went to one of the fancy hotels in town for their Christmas Eve buffet. They had all kinds of continental food, as well as some Indian dishes sprinkled in. The food was awesome and we had such a good time.

We clean up nice!

Our looooong fancy table!

We recycled their outfits from Chase & Laura's wedding - in April that dress was down to Layla's ankles!!

 On our way home from dinner, we drove to look at the light display on one of the main streets in town. I'm soooooo happy that our city has a big light display!

 We got home and put the kids to bed (late), and then everyone came over to sing a few Christmas carols before parting ways for the night. 

Visions of sugarplums

The next morning, I played "Santa" and stuffed everyone's stockings! Everyone brought me the little gifts they had bought for people and their stockings the night before. I totally felt like my Grandma!!

The stockings were propped on the loveseat with care

 We started with an amazingly delicious brunch together at 10:30 before opening our Secret Santa gifts to each other. 

That's a big stack of presents!

We let the kids open their gifts first because they had been SO patient and couldn't wait any longer!

 

 They were looking adorable in their Christmas jammies from Grandma!

 Layla squealed an obscenely high pitched "This is amaZIIIIIIIIIIING!" when she opened her Indian Kelly doll. Apparently she was excited about it. 

 Here she is, shoving it in Landon's face to show him while he was trying to show us his new Lego set!

Mason was super happy with his new ball

Landon also got a chalk/dry erase board combo. That has provided lots of entertainment!

After all the adults opened our gifts, we turned on a Christmas movie and played games. Four other coworkers who work in a different part of the city came over after noon to spend the rest of the day with us. That afternoon we made a few special treats - summer sausage with crackers, and Velveeta and Rotel queso from America! Ohhhhhh yum. We also had some veggies with hummus and strawberries & grapes with fruit dip in an attempt to eat something healthy that day. (At least to balance out the ridiculous amount of cake balls, cookies, and toffee crack we were eating all day). 

While the kids were napping that afternoon, we did a "White Elephant" gift exchange, except we didn't do gag gifts (we all agree no one needs more junk here), but we did do the fun stealing other people's gifts. Then we played more games with another Christmas movie in the background until it was time to get dinner ready. 

We decided to just have four soups for dinner that day that we could make ahead or put in crock pots, so that way no one was spending all day cooking (great decision!) We ate some delicious soup, put Mason in bed, and then several of us headed to see the new Star Wars movie! It truly was a great day.

White Elephant gift exchange!

Mason surrounded by all his fan club

Landon chillaxing watching Christmas movies (and playing the iPad)

Merry Late Christmas from our India Family!