Forgotten customs

I has surprised me what Christmasy things I'd forgotten that we do. First thing. Ever since we were about 8 or 9. Mum has this thing of putting 'mini-stockings' (or bags rather) with stuff at the ends of beds/on floor late Christmas Eve. The original idea was to keep us in bed longer so they could sleep to a decent hour. It somehow lasted and has moved far beyond the entirely full of lollies, they now have much more useful things in them, plus a few edibles. So before 7am, (or 7:30) us four girls cram into whoever's room is convienient and show eachother what's in them. Then we do the breakfast thing and other presents, church, then the lunch (usually at my Grandparents). Other things. Mum's side on Christmas day usually. Mum's brother, my Uncle Paul, Aunty Bronwyn and three younger cousins, Lauren, Nathan and Naomi with my Grandparents and us (and Wendy this year). A good majority of whoever feels like it will go for a walk on the golf course (very classy country club one- private property of course) after lunch. It was nice today, we went down a slightly differnt way, saw the lake and ducks, found some stolen mail in the boat shed (which Dad reported to the police)... poked around in the bush for lost golf balls. I didnt find any. The others got about seven. Had left overs for dinner. My aunty was so sick she couldnt eat a thing (oh, a bit of bread and later threw up). Ha, maybe shouldn't talk about left overs in combination with being sick... We left about 8ish sometime. Did 'sparklers' before we left, which has become a bit of a thing. Everything from being foolish and waving them around to building massive structures in the driveway to set a chain reaction of burning off. I drove home (drove there too), must get driving lessons/book P's. And that was my Christmas, roughly speaking. Oh, my Grandma got my Uncle to read out part of the Christmas story (something that we have not done as an extended family before) it was a really nice thing to do it that way. Last Christmas in that house, sad really. It's another home of mine, I will miss it and its extensive, amazing garden. But things are changing anyway. People get older.