To you, Chirstmas Day wasn’t much different than any other day: eat, sleep, play, cry, digest. To the rest of us, here are some Brewer traditions you observed:

Christmas breakfast, for the last couple years, has consisted of Brewer Chirstmas bread (a sweet milk-based dough wrapped around almond paste, almonds, spices, candied fruit, and marchino cherries), Scottish eggs (hard boiled eggs wrapped in breakfast sausage and breaded), and mimosas. With Tia Antje as our private barista, lattas and mochas were also on the menu.

Daddy’s great aunt knitted red, green, and white stockings for each member of the Lorimer family up to Antje. You and Mommy don’t have stockings of your own yet so Mommy borrowed Betty’s (i.e. great-grandma Lorimer’s) and you borrowed Wayne’s (i.e. great-grandpa Lorimer’s). Tradiationally, these stockings contain mini oranges, chocolate coins and candy canes…plus small, quirky gifts that Grandma Lois (and other family members) find. We go around the room, with each person taking out a gift at a time until he or she reaches the oranges.

Gift opening happens in two stages: in the morning of just Brewer-Brewer exchanges and in the afternoon, when Grandpa Tom, Grandma Carol and Uncle Caleb arrive for Christmas dinner. Like the stockings, we take turns opening them. Someone, this year Grandpa Don, plays elf, handing out the presents. The presents are wrapped with paper to match Grandma Lois’ decorating theme–this year multi-colored nutcrackers–with a tag that includes a clue about what the present it. You have to guess before you can open the present.

Christmas dinner was beef roast, Stilton (a stinky, strong blue cheese favored by the Brewers—except Mommy) sauce, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, creamed spinach (Mommy’s favorite), salad, sparkling apple cider, and red wine. Before dinner are shrimp dip (Daddy’s favorite–lots of garlic), crackers, cheese, and more cheese. Dessert includes shortbread cookies, tarts, and port.

Christmas afternoon concludes with Grandpa Tom napping by the fire, games/movies and general, hanging out. A fire is kept going in the living room, to which we periodically add wrapping paper/wood/boxes and which you loved watching.