Christmas 2025!

Before I begin sharing thoughts and pictures this week, I want to mention that our dear Elder Jeffry R. Holland passed away this week.  He bore eloquent testimony of our Savior throughout his life.  I'm grateful for these leaders who devote their life to testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

This year, the song "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" touched my heart.  The song was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a well-known poet.  He was feeling deep despair in 1863. He had lost his wife in a tragic fire in their home and his son had been severely injured fighting in the civil war.  He felt keenly the dissonance between the ideal of Christmas peace and the reality of a nation full of violence.  When he heard the Christmas bells that year, he began his poem,

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old familiar carols play, 

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along th’unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:

“There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Till, ringing, singing, on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

I am so grateful that through Christ we have hope.  I am sure I didn't think about my Savior enough through this Christmas season.  It's so easy to get caught up in the trimmings of Christmas that it's hard to take time to stop, be still and feel the Spirit.  

My mother always told me that Santa Claus was the Spirit of Giving.  In that way he is representative of our Savior.  We had opportunity to meet with Santa at Adrienne's this year.  We had everyone in the family except for Doyeon, who was sick, and Elise and her family.  Elise didn't arrive until late in the evening on the 22nd, too late for the party.  Caitlyn and Dallin came, but not in time for pictures with Santa, since she had to work.  Sara isn't in her family picture, either, because she was also late.  She got stuck on an important phone call.

Santa had several of the children help with the bells for a Christmas song: Avie, Foster, Bridget, Camden, Dojin, Greta, Todd, Sloan Harding (Zach Harding's son).  

This picture of Ruby and Effie represents the love the cousins have for each other.  They love getting together.

Camden as Rudolph.  He really got into Santa this year, even though Nick said he had cried the day before about the idea of meeting with Santa.

Finn tells us about Todd waiting for a present from Santa

We got a picture of each family with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.  Doyeon is missing because of illness.  She missed last year's Christmas festivities, too, because she was sick.
 

Adrienne and AJ said that Santa and Mrs. Claus couldn't get out of there fast enough.  We had all of our family, all of AJ's family, and Zack Harding and his family.  Lots of kids!

Even though Elise and the kids missed the party, they still had opportunity to meet with Santa.  We took them to the Grand America Hotel for the Santa breakfast (arranged by Adrienne, even though she went another day).  

Sadly, Andy is in Poland (deployed) and was unable to be with us this year.  He's been on the phone daily with Elise and has played many games online with his family.

I took Bevy and Mav outside while waiting for Roy, Elise and the other two kids.  When Elise got outside, she wouldn't let them climb on the statues anymore.

Bey and Maverick by the grand Christmas tree.

More cousin love: Camden and Yuli

Avie and Mav

Yuna, Bridget and Ruby

Zack

Harvey and Camden

I found these kids early in the morning on Christmas Eve, watching one tiny screen together.
Bridget, Bevy, Mav, Avie, Ruby, Harvey and Todd

Can you believe none of the adults wanted to hot tub?

Getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner: Bevy, Crista, Greta, Foster, Camden (Yuli is behind Camden)

No crab this year.  It was $69 per lb.  We had shrimp and prime rib with lots of trimmings.

Zack loved Dan!  He especially liked the beard.

Zack, Dan and Yuli (Todd in background)

Effie, Cub, Avie, Yuna, Ori, Ruby, Bevy.  Back row: Harvey, Ila, Ruby, Elijah (held by Jordon)

Dojin and Avie

Foster, in her costume for the nativity play

Harvey, Dallin, Caitlyn

Matt, Zack, Max (Gunnar, Nick, Dan, Sara, in background)

Wise men: Avie and Ruby (Crista is our director every year)

Ila, Ruby, Avie, Effie, Yuna, Mav, Ruby
Dojin, Camden, Bevy, Ori

Bridget, Zack, Yuli

Cub, taking it all in.

Adrienne planned a game for the kids and divided them into two groups.  She had them line up oldest to youngest.  We had to have two pictures to cover everyone.
Hyeji, Gunnar, Ollie, Max, Ori, Yuna, Finn, Ruby, Mav, Effie, Dojin (not pictured: Doyeon

Bevy, Ila, Greta, Avie, Bridget, Camden, Todd, Yuli and Harvey (these last four were all born during Covid). Harvey at the beginning, and Todd at the end with the Cam and Yuli in the middle; so Todd and Harvey are out of order).  Not in this picture: Foster, Elijah, Cub and Zack

Foster (I'm not sure who let her dance on my table).

Some of the younger children playing the game.  Depending on the dice roll, they were allowed to open up a saran wrapped ball of presents.  It was fun for most of the older children, but a little too hard for the younger group.  One of these years we'll get through a Christmas Eve without tears...
Adrienne, Cub, Camden, Todd, Crista (with me behind)

Jennie and Avie helping Foster

Avie, Bevy

AJ, Cub, Cam, Foster, Adrienne, Todd in tears, Yuli

Ila and Bridget

The older group had better luck.  This is Yuna

Ori

Hyeji, Gunnar

Ollie, Finn

Yuna, Dojin and Max

Ruby and Effie

Christmas morning we had the Vance and Jackson families at our home to open presents.  Zack liked his new present, but mostly the wrapping.  He scooted around to look at everyone's presents.

Grandpa set up his train since Mav and Max were coming.  

Yuna and Max

Jieun was very generous and invited all the kids and adults to her art studio (multiple times) where they used her paints and canvases and created.  They had a ball; I have a lot of little artists (and big artists) in my family.

Elise, Jennie and others

Dan

Effie, Dojin and Yuna and others

We try hard to take all of our grandchildren on birthday dates, at least once they turn 4 or 5.  We have a lot of birthdays around Christmas.  Dojin's is the 27th, Yuli's was the 14th.  Mav is in January and Bev had her 8th birthday in November (she's waiting for baptism when her dad gets back in April).  Of course, we have to wait to take Mav and Bev for their birthdays when we manage to get together.

Happy Birthday to Dojin, Maverick, Yuli and Bevy

While we were on the birthday date, most of the rest of the adults went out for Korean food while the kids played at our house.  

The last party of the week for Roy and me was a white elephant party held by our friends the Davis' in Morgan, UT.  While we went to the party, our adult children went to see Anaconda (movie), while their kids played at our house.  They were great to clean up the mess before they went home.  Our party was a lot of fun with about three couples that we knew (the rest of the party were people from the Davis' non-denominational church group and their pastor).  We had dinner and a white elephant game.  It took a while because there were 44 people there.  We each had a number and the gifts were opened only when a 5 was rolled on the die (this was later amended to 2 and 4, also).  The other numbers had exchange rules and a 3 was "do nothing."  This would have been a great game with a dozen people, and it was fun with 44, but a little tedious at times.  Especially as there was a younger group that weren't always paying attention when it was their turn.  We don't get invited to many Christmas parties (we go to our ward party, our family party, and Roy's work party which we host at our home) so it was fun to be included.