A Merry Little Christmas

It may have taken Christmas a while to get off the ground at our place, but by the time Christmas morning hit yesterday, we were in full celebratory mode. One of our own little Christmas traditions since we got married is to go to the theatre (clearly the tradition of a couple without children)--last year it was The Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center, a few years ago it was A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theatre, etc. So on Monday night we went out for a delicious dinner at Olive's, one of our favorite DC eateries, and then to see Twelfth Night at the Shakespeare Theatre--not so Christmassy, but still great fun.

The next day we loaded up the car and made it to Mount Vernon by dinnertime. We celebrated Christmas Eve at the skating rink, where Jason showed off his new moves, then went to the candlelight service, as is tradition in the Small house. I didn't grow up going to the candlelight service, and I have really loved singing "Silent Night" by candlelight on Christmas Eve when we've been able to celebrate Christmas here!

Christmas morning we had fun opening up gifts and all ate dinner together. Then we took up the other classic Small tradition--the annual viewing of Independence Day, complete with surround sound. It seems to be the Christmas for hats, and one of our favorite pictures is one of the Georges, Sr. and Jr., with Grandpa's Christmas hats!

Today we drove to Akron to visit Stan Hywet Hall, a Tudor-style manor house built in 1912 for the family that co-founded the Goodyear Tire Company (Jason's note: we learned that the company was named after Charles Goodyear, who discovered how to vulcanize rubber in 1839, but died before its use found wide application -- rubber for wagon and then car tires.) It was rainy and cold, but it was fun to see the fancy house (seriously, who says "Hmmm, I think I'll build a mansion for myself in the Tudor style, complete with authentic Tudor paneling shipped in from England"?) all lit up for Christmas!

We feel so blessed to be able to celebrate the birth of Christ and the newness He brings with our family--both here and afar. And tomorrow we will continue the celebration with a visit to friends in Harrisburg and a wedding we've been looking forward to!