So that was Christmas, what did you do?

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We had a corker Christmas made all the better by Jack and his ever growing comprehension of Santa and what it might mean to him - presents.

I'd been building it up for a week or so and by the time it was Christmas Eve we were all very excited. We put out the mince pie and juice (orange for those that keep a tag on these things) for the big fella and some Jack-picked grass for the reindeer.

He was in bed normal time but it did take a few more stories than normal to get him asleep.

In I snuck around 10pm to fill his Santa Sock (from Ballantynes) and filled it up with the <$10 stuff we'd picked up from such high class establishments as The Warehouse and $2 Shop (not everything costs $2, you have been warned). The big pressies were placed around the tree and away to bed we snuck.

He was the last to wake up. We (Liz, Meg and myself with my Mum and Dad) had been up and started breakfast before the girls (Zoe, Char and Jacqui along with Sarah and Graeme) popped over to join Carol who'd made an early start of it and was here at 7:30am. The Christmas spirit was most definitely in the air as were the carols, the laughter and the waiting for Jack.

Eventually we went and awoke him. He was quite shy at first and we had to give him his Santa Sock ... it blew him away. At one point he turned to his Mum and, with a look of wonder and sheer joy, said, "Mum! More!!" ... awesome.

Out he came and ... the pie had been eaten, the juice drained and the grass chomped leaving a trail out to the door. Santa and his reindeer had been.

But the pressies under the tree were his first and only sight! He was blown away. We got him changed and then into it we ripped. All of us getting pressies, opening them and having a grand old time. Jack, of course, had the most. His favourite was (and might even still be) a cash register (in pink) that makes all the right noises, has things to scan (yep, it really scans) and a wee microphone and speaker that has just the right tone to, "Mike at aisle 7, price check please!"

My pressies were cool as. It was a DVD Christmas for me - Harry Potter 1, 2 and 3, Dumbo (which has become Jack's favourite TV) and a few more - mighty! Gonna get a new pair of glasses from Liz when I get my 'a' into 'g' and I'm thinking of getting an iPod Video "for the family as well" (*ahem*).

The rest of the day was over the road to Sarah's for their pressie opening (and more for us - King Kong candy dispenser that roars for me, ha ha ha - check out what else I could've got) before finishing off the bubbles and strawberrys and settle into the guests arrival and whatever the day brought us.

The weather had been OK during the day (therefore couldn't show off the glorious blue sky to Rob and Linda up in a minus two and snow covered Stockholm on the webcam) but cleared up in time for the 5pm+ dinner outside which was a first for my Ma and Pa. Everyone cooked something and it was just perfect!

We're still eating the left overs three days later.

And into the Christmas evening we drifted, a few beers, a glass of wine, loads of nuts, awesome company and just a great time.

Hope yours was just as good for you and it's one to look back on and smile.

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