The Brown Family Christmas Party is an annual tradition. One takes place in Washington and one takes place in Utah.
Sometimes, we are lucky enough to have Washingtonians join the Utah festivities.
Last year, Grandma and Grandpa Brown were here, and this year, we got the Neeley's. (YAY!)
There are certain things that must happen at the
Utah Brown Family Christmas Party.
For example, we always read and then raffle a Christmas book.
This year it was President Monson's story of The Christmas Train. With the wonders of modern technology, he actually read it to us. It was awesome!
(We think we'd like to invite him every year).
We always play Eskimo Bingo.
This year, we added gag gifts to the kids' group as well. No tears at all!
And we always have Nanaimo bars!
Especially delicious this year I must say.
The rest of the agenda is up for grabs and is usually planned by the host. This year Julie added something that turned out to be the best part of the evening.
She asked the cousins to write down thoughtful, meaningful, and sincere attributes they saw in each other.
She then read them to us, noting who said what about whom. The kids were a little concerned about them not being read anonymously. Not because they said things they shouldn't have, but because they said some "embarrassingly" wonderful things.
It was incredible to hear the kind and uplifting things they said about each other.
It was especially amazing to us as parents. We don't often get to hear those kinds of things come out of our teenagers :)
It truly couldn't have been more perfect,
except that we were missing this guy:
And this guy:
But somewhere in Texas and Colorado someone else is grateful to have them there, instead of here.
We were also missing Michaela, who had a 10 hour shift at Subway. Bummer!
All in all, the Brown Family Christmas party was the best I can remember in years.
Food, family, and Christlike love.
That is a great combination.
Merry, Merry Christmas.
