Christmas 2011

Stockings/Santa Gifts

Breakfast.  One of my favorite traditions adopted from Rick's family is the Breakfast Table.  First we open stockings and then we have breakfast.  The table is all set and ready the night before and we put presents (books) on each person's plate.    





And then we opened the presents from under the tree.  Grandpa was in charge of getting them and then Mason handed them out.  Thank heavens for Mason.  Grandpa Zinn is a little impatient.  If he had it his way, we would open presents in 30 minutes flat.  We couldn't keep him from rushing things but luckily Mason listened to us and kept things at a slower pace.  Rick and I like to enjoy the gifts and slowly open them.  It's just our way of prolonging the Christmas morning moment as long as possible.  Plus, we had put such thought into our gifts and we liked to talk about them and explain the process of buying/making the gift.    

Then the children went outside and enjoyed their toys to the fullest.

Just a cute picture.  Jane did not get this awesome contraption as a gift.

We stayed in the downstairs of this house.  It is very common in Germany to say in an apartment of someone's private home.

This barn was built in the 1700s.