Hosting Christmas.. and a bit nervous about it..

Hello,

Every day that I walk into my house I honestly love it.. so why is it that as I get ready to host my husbands family for Christmas Dinner I am of course fretting over my house, I get anxious knowing that my style is different then theirs.

I started this blog thinking that I was drawn to Parisienne style, however.. I think my German heritage is actually more of what I long for in my home.

If you have known my Oma and Opa... Ah...as a guest in their home, you know the feeling I am talking about..

An eclectic, cozy, imperfectly perfect, clean old home, with a lot of love, and true to who they are people, that makes you instantly feel welcome.

For 36 years I have attended Christmas Eve at my Oma & Opa's home, we have a large family and almost everyone makes it a point to be there on that night. We have had the same German meal each year with only a couple additions due to new family memebers that might like another option.

The Rouladin, Red Cabbage, Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy, Carrots and a Dinner Roll are always the same and served at 5:00.

We open gifts after 6pm. I remember as a child and then watched my own children run into my Opa to check if we could open our presents and him always making us wait until exactly 6:00 to begin. I lost my Opa a few years back and miss him dearly, but it honestly feels like he is still in my Oma's home, and that is so comforting. We will again be there for Christmas Eve this year.. Oma needs a little help with things but still knows how important it is to her family to come.

I want my children to have the same memories with all of their family.

I am excited and stressed about hosting,but on that day.. I want no stress.

I really hope that everyone feels welcomed, comfortable and loved when they are here at our home this year, just as we feel at my Oma's.

I am going to try my hand at my Oma's Christmas Eve dinner.. with a few additions for maybe different tastes.

I want it to be fun.

With Love,

Jen