Thursday, December 25, 2014

TWELVE YEARS OF CHRISTMAS



The Twelve Years of Christmas is a collection of photographs highlighting the twelve Christmas's since Kari and I met in 2003 and not to be confused with the Twelve Days of Christmas which is a song originating sometime in the late 1700's and thought to have been a French creation.
Twelve Days of Christmas

By the way, the 12 days of Christmas start at the birth of Christ on December 25th and ends with the arrival of the Magi (Epiphany) on January 6th. Twelfth Night is the evening of January 5th and according to some traditions it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after this date.
Twelfth Night


1st Christmas: 2003, Daventry, Surrey, BC

Partridge in a Pear Tree? Not Quite.
Adriane
Katie and Jon
Kari with Katie
Spoiling Mr. Ken
We Even Had A White Christmas!

2nd Christmas: 2004, Daventry, Surrey, BC

Stockings Are Hung
Gift Opening Time
Travis - The New Addition!
Christmas Elegance
Christmas Cartoon
So Many Friends

3rd Christmas: 2005, Displaced

Christmas at Connelly's, Maple Ridge, BC
Adriane and Travis Get Married in 2005
Katie (Mercedes) Meets Ian in 2005
Kari with her Children
Last Photo of Mum and Me with  Dad

4th Christmas: 2006, Daventry, Surrey, BC

Alan McLennan 1925 - 2006


Mum Spends Christmas With Us
Brother Tor, Myrna and Nathan
Jon Enjoying a Lazy Day
Kari with Sister Andrea
Ian and Katie Mercedes Get Married
Kari and I Go Camping
Merry Christmas

5th Christmas: 2007, Something Completely Different!

We had Christmas lunch at the Roti Prata House in Singapore in 2007.
Our table was towards the back and close to the kitchen so that we could watch our food being prepared - the added highlight of the experience was when two of the cooks got into a fight and started hitting each other.  It was a Merry Christmas indeed.
New Home in Singapore
Christmas Walk in 33 C with 90% Humidity
A Better Idea On Christmas Day
Ho Ho Ho - We're Swimming On Christmas Day
Surprise!
Bigger Surprise!!
In Lieu of a Christmas Tree
1st Grandchild Born: Oliver on September 27th

6th Christmas: 2008, Singapore

In the second year living in Singapore we had made some good friends - some from work and some from church.
Still No Snow
Christmas Meal Prepared by Myra & Jeff Morrison
The Lucky Wine Club Men: Wu Sze, Jeff Morrison, Me, Dominic Chow
Dominic and Dell Chow
Another Tropical Christmas
The Ladies of WAJA: Angela Henderson, Debbi McCumsey, Kari, Dawn Henderson, Sherilyn Sweeney
The Men of AJA: Rob Henderson, James Henderson, JM Boudreau, Me, Ken McCumsey
With the McCumsey Family and Friend on Christmas Day

7th Christmas: 2009, Jalan Keria, Singapore

This year we made it to Orchard Road to see the fantastic Christmas lights.


Kari and the ESL Ladies Christmas Choir
Kari with the ESL Ladies

Our Hosts in 2009: Jean-Marc and Sherilyn
Wiwit from Indonesia
Dawn, Angela, Kari and Sherilyn
No Snow Again This Year
Comrades in Work with Dawn
Merry Christmas from Singapore!

2nd Grandchild Born: Leighton, June 9th

8th Christmas: 2010, Westmount, Montreal, QC

View From Our Front Steps
Our Front Steps
Christmas 2010 - Back in Canada
Dinner for Fifteen

Kari with Turkey

Andrea with Salad

Alaina with Weapon

Grace Montreal Church "Orphans"

Three More in the Living Room

Tea and Dessert
Peace on Earth

9th Christmas: 2011, Montreal, QC and Listowel, ON

Christmas just got busy! In 2011 we attended a company Christmas party and then headed to Listowel, Ontario to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Kari's nephew David and family.
From David and Molly's Home


The Tree at Brydges Home
The Ladies of Advanced Fabrics, Montreal
Before the Company Party
Guylaine, Heidi and Heidi's date

Fernando and Bruce

The Gagne's
Listowel Lies Sleeping
Back Stage 
On Stage

Beautiful Solo

Grand Finale
Very Special Nieces with Great Aunt Kari
Host David with the Turkey

Hostess Molly
Still Quiet
All's Well
3rd Grandchild Born: Pippa, May 18th

10th Christmas: 2012, Last one in Montreal

This was the year of record snow.  It was also when, after a lot of behind-the-scenes discussions Kari and I were offered the opportunity to move back to B.C. To be honest I'm not sure how or where we spent Christmas this year - I know it was with our GMC Family for the last time.


Record Snow
Welcome to Grey Avenue, NDG, Montreal, QC


We're in 2025





Stockings Ready - Again!
The Tree is Decorated


Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal

Pipe Organ at the Basilica, Montreal

 11th Christmas: 2013, Back In British Columbia


Back Where We Started in 2007

Come On In

Fish Only

Stockings Back In Place

Christmas Pageants
Confused Angel - But Cute
Leighton The Shepherd
Oliver and Lucas - Angels?  No. They're Boys...
Pippa - Close to Angelic
4th Grandchild Born: Jaeden, May 12th (Mother's Day)
Nicole with Jaeden
Grandma Kari with Jaeden
Grandpa Ken with Jaeden


Oliver - Christmas PJ's

Leighton - Christmas PJ's

Pippa - Christmas PJ's too!

Super Heroes!
5th Grandchild Born: Emmeline, September 9th


Welcome to the Family Emme

12th Christmas: The Family is The Focus

In twelve years our combined families have grown and grown, with additions of Son's and Daughter's, followed by additions of grandchildren.  And along with that come all the extended family members and life is grand.
One of my childhood Norwegian ornaments from Kenya
Oliver Stars in the 2014 Christmas Greeting
Leighton The Drummer Boy

Pippa as Mary
Jaeden with her Parents and Grandmother
Emmeline Looking Beautiful
Kari and Katie 
Katie and Ian

Pippa Interviewing Grandpa
Adriane, Emme and Travis
Reynolds Brothers Turkey - Christmas Day

Twelve years of wonderful memory making

Snow in The Cariboo