Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Family Christmas Gatherings

This past Sunday and Sunday a week ago, I attended two of my Christmas family gatherings. Some pictures from both are shown below with the most recent one being first.


My brother from Michigan every year introduces us to a number of new table games. Many of them we have never heard of before. It might now almost be a part of our family tradition at Christmas time. Some of them he finds out about through being a part of a couple game clubs. I don't remember the name of the card game being played in this picture. But it can get rather active. See below.


When a certain card is played, everyone tries to be the first to grab and keep the wooden piece that stands in the center. [See first picture.] As one can see in this picture, it can get to be a free for all struggle.


Some of my nephews and nieces and one brother



My nieces and their parents are preparing to leave while others continue playing a card game.


My girlfriend is the wonderful person sitting towards the far left in this picture. Meeting her made this the best Christmas ever. [a big joyful grin]

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The following pictures are from the big Christmas dinner held every year with relatives on my dad's side of the family.


My brother from Michigan and our three nieces



Every year at this dinner, we have a piñatta filled with candy for the children. It is fun to watch the children trying to break the piñatta.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing the pictures, Tim. Glad to hear (and see) that this was such a wonderful time of celebration for you and your loved ones.

Anonymous said...

That's part of the fun of getting together on Christmas, or any holiday in fact.....game playing.... we played left center right a dice game on Christmas eve.. and next Sat. will be another nerf gun game.....i'll be dodging bullets again.....thank God they are foam......and apples to apples, the kids love it..... have a happy New Year......

Unknown said...

that looks like a lot of fun! Glad you had a wonderful Christmas.

Anonymous said...

Looks like you enjoyed a wonderful family celebration. Good for you!

Blessings to you & yours for the New Year. :o)

mreddie said...

Some of that looked like fairly active stuff - was that first one called " Let's break an arm for Christmas"? :) I always enjoy the family gatherings - hope it was a great Christmas. ec

Anonymous said...

Thanks for giving us a peak into your famil activities and for introducing us to you beautiful girlfriend. She looks like a real treasure.

Merili said...

Lovely shots, looks like you really had a wonderful Christmas :) By the way I heard about Pinata this year for the first time. It feels so great to read the post and know what you are talking about :))

Cheers from a white country

Meri

Shionge said...

What a great gathering :D This is the best time of the year to bond.

Happy Holiday!

Murf said...

Wow! The girlfriend must be serious if she's revealed on here. How exciting. Oh how I miss the early days of a relationship...*sigh*

Someone from Michigan introducing new table games?!? Luckily it looks like it involves some light violence. ;)

Tim Rice said...

Thanks, kevin stilley. These family celebrations at Christmas are holy to me.

Hi, judypatooote. You are so right. Game playing is an important part of the family time together.

Thanks, carmel. It was a wonderful time.

Thanks, trailady. And may you too have a blessed New Year.

Thanks, mreddie. It was a great Christmas. I liked your suggested title for the game. :)

Thanks, photowannabe. Our family was excellent. And my girlfriend is a treasure beyond description to me. :)

Thanks, merili. My Christmas was quite wonderful. And the pinata was fun. Here, it's been to warm to snow.

Thanks, shionge. It is a great time of year to bond. :)

Thanks, murf. My girlfriend does mean more than I can say to me. If it helps, remember the guy from Michigan spent most of his life in Pennsylvania. ;)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your family with us Tim :) And nice to get to see this wonderful lady who is making you all smiley :)

Happy New Year

Bobby said...

Looks like fun!

Minka said...

Just beuatifula dn wonderful job on the new girlfriend.
That special someone in your life, makes Christmas even more miraculous, doesn´t it.
A wonderful start into the New Year to you and yours!

sage said...

Nice pictures, you have a beautiful and wonderful looking family who seem to all enjoy each other, that's great!

Cergie said...

GOOOOD ! You seem having had such a good Christmas time with your all familly and I'm so happy to see you have such a lovely girl friend, Tim !

Fred said...

Great pictures, Tim. It looks like a terrific holiday.

Have a Happy New Year!

Spider Girl said...

Merry Christmas Tim! Your family looks like it knows how to have fun together!

Me, I played Scrabble after Christmas dinner. It was a little less rambunctious perhaps than the game you showed, but I had fun. :)

Tim Rice said...

Thanks, faye pekas. I really enjoyed putting this post together.

Thanks, bobby. It was a lot of fun!

Thanks, minka. That special some one did really make my Christmas! I'm looking forward to see what God and us two make of it. :)

Thanks, sage. Our family does enjoy being together. And playing games together is one of our family's favorite activities.

Thanks, cergie. We did have a happy Christmas time together. And my girlfriend was my best present this year. [very big happy grin]

Thanks, fred. It was a terrific holiday time for me and my family. May you have a wonderful New Year, too.

Thanks, spider girl. It was a merry Christmas and I wish you a very happy New Year! Some of our games get rambunctious; but others are more quiet. Playing scrabble sounds like fun, too. :)

Ginnie Hart said...

Sooooo glad to meet your girlfriend, Tim (do we get to know at least her first name?). I think I spotted her in the first photo, right? I immediately said, that's Tim's girlfriend!

So glad you had the Christmas celebration of your life! :)

Tim Rice said...

Thanks, ginnie. It was a blessed Christmas. And, yes, you did spot my girlfriend in the first picture. As for her name, at this time my standard policy remains that only my name gets mentioned on the blog. Sorry.