Grandma and Grandpa Sklar came to Regina to celebrate Christmas with us this year. The night before Christmas eve Grandma and Grandpa came in on the bus, they went with Brian to CBC for the broadcast of his country radio column, then Aaron made a few of his famous Thai dishes: Hot and Sour Beef Salad and Duck and Lychee in Red Curry sauce.

We started Christmas with the family tradition of our first family supper on Christmas Eve. The night before, Damon and Adrienne opened presents with Adrienne's family. Here are assorted photos of people preparing their plates, then a photo of the group around the dining room table for supper. This year mom decided to cook ribs. One might notice the look of distaste upon Aaron's face...primarily because ribs are disgusting. 

**Note ribs are gross and make your hands sticky.

Usually we go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, a tradition started in Prince Albert when Damon, Brian, and Aaron sang in the Sacred Heart Cathedral's Choir. This year we spent Christmas Eve visiting in the living room and went to church on Christmas Day.

A long standing Sklar tradition is to open presents at midnight on Christmas Eve; something started by parents that didn't want to be awakened by children at 5:00 am...I'm quite sure. Here is Thor patiently waiting in a chair by the tree...as you can see, midnight is a little late for Butch!!

A group photo before we begin to open our presents. Grandma and Grandpa...Brian and Trudy...Adrienne and Damon...Aaron and a synthetic tree; these are magic times.

Damon's wrapping was insanely detailed this year...Grandma's present took three hours to wrap.

"What did you get John? I hope it is a set of new dishes!"

"It is, Lori...just what we always wanted...we must have been good this year."

Thor gets a baby brother for Christmas.

Butch does not appear to be too impressed with the bag he got for Christmas. He asks grandma, "Where is the pony I asked for?"

 

Brian finally gets what he has always wanted for Christmas...an Ann Coulter book. Sure she is ugly...on the inside, but this will make great fuel for our fire pit...if it burns. Do you think it will burn?

Aaron gets a glovin' for lovin'

No seriously, there is no better way to a man's heart than through his stomach...or so we have heard. This little guy is the middle man that makes it all happen...hope it works!

Adrienne reflects on the best Christmas she has had since at least 2003.

Her face says it all..."perfect, with the exception of the ribs."

Damon gets ready to hit the road. They have to get up early to have brunch with Adrienne's parents in the morning, then drive out to Dysart for lunch.