Opening Christmas Gifts and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Good evening my dears.

Today, my post is a means to preserve more Christmastime memories from when my mum and sister came to visit.  

Friday, November 25th

On the day after Thanksgiving, we went to take our family pictures for our annual Christmas card. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the giving, and receiving of Christmas cards.

For lunch, we went to Amelie's, a French café for cappuccinos and cupcakes. It is located across from where we buy our Christmas tree. This year we had a beautiful tree which we all decorated in our family room.

For dinner we all got dressed up and we went for a family dinner at The Gallery, a fine dining restaurant inside The Ballantyne Hotel. My sister was a sweetheart and treated all of us.

Saturday, November 26th

My family (my hubby, mum and sister) are all good gift givers, and receivers. I take after my mum, by keeping persons in mind during the year, especially when we travel, so come Christmastime we have a lot of meaningful and memorable gifts to exchange.

Also, on our tree were our strawberry fruit ornaments. They have been on our tree ever since before I was born. One of them has a chunk bitten out of it from when I was a toddler. We still proudly display it and share the story every year when we decorate the tree.

Nobody loves opening gifts more than Sophie. She enjoys opening her gifts and happily watching us open ours.

Then I prepared roasted chicken, potatoes, carrots, peas, stuffing balls (my favorite), rolls and gravy.

There's something about a homemade roast that makes you all warm and cozy inside. We all ended up having a nap, with Christmas movies on in the background. Then later that evening, we all got ready for a production of the Nutcracker at our local community center.

 Bless their hearts.

Sunday, November 27th

On Sunday afternoon we went to The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, in Belmont, North Carolina to attend an afternoon tea and see the holiday lights.

 My mom and me

 My sister and me.

These were spider orchids.

My hubby is a full time goofball.

 Us

It was a magical end, of a magical evening.

Goodnight to all, and to all a goodnight.

 

Kiki Nakita

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