Christmas Day 2008

Still in Dublin, my uncle made everyone breakfast, which was really nice of him. He taught us this easy recipe for this bagel thingie. It was essentially a bagel, a slice of provolone cheese, a tomato and the entire thing was lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. He popped it in the oven and cooked until brown. DELICIOUS! And so simple. John made it a few days after…he burned it, but it still tasted good.

After breakfast, we said our goodbyes, and headed back home to SJ. My family’s tradition is to open our own presents in our house on Christmas Day. So when we got back we opened our presents.

My brother opening his “Victoria Secret” bag. Hahaha.

My sister with her presents.

Now that me and my siblings are getting older, my parents are getting more and more clueless on what to buy us. My mom’s solution is kinda funny, because she is starting to do what my grandmother does. She wraps money in a box. For me she took a box of Ferrero Rocher and stuck money on the back of it. For my sister, she gave her a cd case, and put money in all the sleeves. It’s funny and amusing. It gives us something to open, while freeing her from the task of figuring what to buy us.

My crazy mom.

After opening all of our presents my mom still had to cook for our Christmas “lunch” at her side of the family’s celebration. My brother and I decided to try to make macaroni and cheese. We were doing so well, until John decided to give my brother directions, instead of consulting the recipe. Needless to say…we ended up making the macaroni ‘n cheese without the cheese! Ugh. And of course, it didn’t taste good. But we tried. Freakin A.

Anyway, by the time we got to my grandmother’s house, it was already nearing dinnertime. I think we probably arrived around 4pm. I sometimes forget that I cut my hair and no one had seen it. I walked in the house and everyone was ooohing and ahhhing. My mom’s side of the family has decided that since my hair is short, it’s time for me to make babies. I looked around and all my aunts had short hair. I’d like to attribute it to getting older, and not an indication that I should pop some kids out.

Aside from the failed mac ‘n cheese, I also made Marion’s delicious artichoke dip. Unfortunately, this was the year with THE most food I have ever seen for Christmas. My grandmother’s house didn’t look like we were going through a recession. There was literally food everywhere. In the living room, dining room, family room, kitchen. We couldn’t find more places to put all the food. But they still liked the dip, yay! It sat next to the spinach dip and the seafood dip.

I must’ve been tired by the time I got to my grandmother’s house because I stopped taking pictures. I think it was also because EVERYONE had their cameras. I think we had at least 10 cameras snapping away pictures. This was our paparazzi Christmas. So I only managed to snag a few pictures:

Of us, of course

John’s siblings have come over to my grandmother’s house for Christmas Day ever since we first started dating, almost a decade! This year his brother didn’t come because he’s consumed by hanging out with his gf.

And as we do every year, we sing happy birthday to my cousin. She was born on Christmas Day, so we always gather for her birthday, hee hee.

Ok, this next picture is horrible, but I’m posting it because you can see my artichoke dip on the table.

After spending a good number of hours at my grandmother’s house, it was time for John and I to head over to our friend Dung’s house for another GTG. We picked up my BFF and headed to the party. The party started at 7pm but we’re asian so we got there at 8pm….and then we ended up being the last ones to get there, whoops! Everyone had been waiting for us so that we could eat.

Last ones to arrive!

But before we could eat, it was time to take a group picture with all the delicious food!

I didn’t take many pictures here either, so I’m just snagging them from my friend Jeff, of JAKsomething, haha.

I love this picture he took of me and my BFF. I think I posted it before.

This year we did a “reject” white elephant. You were supposed to bring something unused that you either had around the house, or something you got from Christmas. Some of the gifts were ridiculous, some were alright.

My friend PT got a razor sharpener. I don’t think he was much fond of it.

Phish got a crapload of stuff. She got a water bottle, picture frame, necklace, and cologne, I think. Random gifts.

Tam got a lot of tennis balls!

Alex got a blank cd, tennis grip and a can of soda!

LeAnne got a men’s shirt and tie

Beaver got (LeAnne’s) candy dish, with chapstick, an ASPCA shirt and a toy

Dung got (our) quilt

LeAnne’s shirt and tie ended up getting snatched, and she got this instead:

Doesn’t look bad, but it smelled and it was gross. She plans on bringing it to our next Christmas gathering.

After all the present opening, we played…dun dun dun dun….LOADED QUESTIONS. Now I have to say that playing with 8 guys and 2 girls, who have practically grown up together…oh man. It was BAD!!! It was hilarious, but it was soooo raunchy and dirty. It was like an NC-17 game. bad bad bad. No pictures of that. But we played, it was fun. Great end to our Christmas. Phew!