Christmas 2016 Remembered ~ Part I

Who doesn't want to read a Christmas post in February?

Since I didn't blog at all during Christmas, I thought I would add a few a ton of holiday photos just in case any of you wanted to see them, or at least so I would have them to remember Christmas this past year.

Here are the pups.  They are really in their element (and most photogenic) at Christmastime.

Rey & Harley Quinn

Puppy love 

This year we cut down our own tree.  We haven't done that in a very long time and I'm not sure we will do it again.  It was only the two of us so it did not hold the same fun it did when the family went together when the kids were younger.  I also thought Brian might have a heart attack sawing through that trunk.  Sometimes we forget we are not as young as we used to be. 

The other thing we didn't think about when bringing such a fresh tree into the house - critters may be living there.  We had a bunch of teeny-tiny spiders living it that tree!  Yuck!

The main reason we cut our own tree was not the experience or memories (we are so past all that), but because I have had my heart set on an ungroomed, untrimmed tree for several years now.  I have tried to find a tree farm that sells trees like this forever and have not had any luck.

Then I saw a photo come up and discovered this tree farm is the next town over from us!

Not everyone "got" our tree.  But I loved it, and my artsy son said, "hey mom, you got an artsy tree!"

He gets me.

One of our family traditions is to do at least one really special Christmas activity or event.

This year we went to Jackson, New Hampshire which is the quintessential Christmas town.  

Jackson NH hosts the Jingle Bell Chocolate tour.  The tour begins at Nestlenook Farm and travels throughout the village.

The chocolate tour is a horse-drawn sleigh ride that stops at several locations where each rider is served a home-made chocolate treat.  

Every one was delicious.

After the chocolate tour we enjoyed the fire and took some photos.

It was a super-cold day!

Later we enjoyed a great meal at the 

Red Fox Bar & Grille

where we were lucky enough to be seated right in front of the fireplace.

A favorite shop in Jackson NH is 

White Mountain Puzzles.  

One of our family traditions is to buy a new Christmas puzzle every year.

These puzzles have the most beautiful scenes and are very challenging.

We usually have a puzzle set up throughout the season for family and guests to work on.  

We keep it on a puzzle board so it can be easily moved and stored away for family dinners.

I also like to keep a hot cocoa/coffee/tea bar stocked for the holidays.

(All of our Christmas photos were taken with my phone this year.  Sorry for the poor quality).

In Christmas 2016 Remembered ~ Part II, I will share our Christmas House Tour.