Happy Christmas

     We celebrate Christmas like every other American but dinner has a bit of old and new traditions.

 My Brother Ben, Anya and Andy

 The guys: Ben, Pasha, Andy, RJ and Sasha

 Anya and I

 The table and as you can see vodka is part of this meal.

 This was the meal.

 Everyone received banana nutella bread from us.

 Great grandparents bought this for Nastya

 Andy's Mum always gives Nastya an ornament for Christmas.

 From Auntie Anya and Uncle Andy.

 From a different Auntie Anya

 She had fun with the big legos.

 Home made apple pie!

Nastya's new fish.

Christmas

     With the Gregorian calendar Christmas falls on January 7th. However because we are in the States we don't celebrate it then. As immigrants come to the states we adopt the days of the holidays on how it is celebrated here in the states. Most start celebrating them when they are here due to the fact that who would give the school kids another day off on January 7 and the 2 week winter break they all have or most has.

     My husband's traditions while in Russia and Ukraine were they would have a meat free dinner on Christmas Eve (January 6) and then on Christmas open presents and have another feast but with meat. Now they have adopted December 25 and they pick names out of a hat and that is who they buy for. Do to us having so many members it saves everyone a slew of money.

     How we normally spent Christmas was after Thanksgiving we would get out the tree and set it up. Now we have the tradition that in our stockings we would get nuts, orange, apple and an ornament from The Hallmark Keepsake Collection and I have gotten from the time I was a baby up until 2003 when I abruptly left. I have thought about doing that for Nastya but I'm not sure.

     This year was so much fun, we get a live tree because I never had one growing up so I wont settle for anything less. Hence this year Nastya received her first year in a tree picking. She was scared of the tree's at first do to their size but then she warmed up real quick.

 She is so happy she has a branch.

 Nastya and I

 Enjoying her Yolka!

 With Papa

 With Papa

Again with Papa

Our tree!


*Christmas Tree
 Yolka

*Ornaments
Yolka egroo-shke

*Tree skirt
Yolka You-pka

* Star
Zvez-da

*Angel
On-geyl

*Happy Christmas
S Rozh-destvom