Christmas Eve crept up on me this year. Probably because Christmas Eve fell on a Monday: people thought they’d have enough time to get ready for festivities at home. Then, they wake up and realize, “I haven’t completed my shopping!”

It’s the reason my mom, sister, and I were at TriNoma yesterday picking up a few last-minute items, including my sister’s gift to me. (That picture refers to this lolcat.) We had to buy food for snacks and dinner, since our extended family would bring dishes for noche buena, which we’ve celebrated at our house for several years now. This year we had a new addition to the family (yes, we’re still growing!) — another baby girl.

I got it from my momma.

Our Christmases are low key affairs; the loudest sounds are of our laughter and talking over the dinner table, catching up on each other, recycling old jokes and recalling running in-jokes that outside observers might not pick up on. Ü Of course the highlight of the evening is distributing gifts to each other, but really what’s important to me is everyone I love being in the same room.

The gifts are just a perk.

Merry Christmas, everyone! God bless you all!

Tags: Christmas, Family Gathering