Christmas Eve 2022

 (this will be backdated to December 24, 2022)

Christmas Eve, with soup and the slideshow and the candy bar game, is an annual tradition for the Westra family. This year, everyone traveled to Alpine to gather in Shane and Alicia's lovely new home. Built for entertaining, it was a great place to get together for food, family and fun. 

There were several soups ...Jen's Chicken Noodle was not gluten-free, but all the others were! Kim's Ham and Bean soup, Danielle's Sweet Potato Sausage,  Janika's Cheesy Potato and Broccoli, Alicia's Creamy Chicken and Rice. There were gluten-free Brazilian Cheese Rolls, and gluten-full breadsticks, dinner rolls and orange rolls. The breadsticks and cheese rolls were baked on the premises (best fresh out of the oven) and Grandma's Kitchen (just a hallway away) came in handy, even with the double ovens in Shane and Alicia's kitchen. There were chips and dips and cheese roll, and SO many desserts!

There were several tables for eating. Plenty of space. Lots of food! Got some pictures in Santa hats and other festive accoutrements. Then it was time to review the past year ... the calendars were passed out, and the slideshow was up on the screen. This year's soundtrack was "Gonna Be Good" by Bloom and the Bliss, "Moments to Memories" by Adeline Hill, "Stars in the Sky" by Kid Cudi (Sonic Soundtrack) and "These Are The Best Days" by PinkZebra. Beyond the birthdays, holidays, school stuff, this was a big HOUSE year, with major moves and other renovations and remodels. See the calendar pages and a slideshow HERE. 

Then it was time for THE CANDY BAR GAME ...

The crew moved to the basement for a little more open an area.

Just to note, lots of things in the center were NOT candy bars.

... here's a little video of the action. 

https://youtu.be/cSj8K-bzn3M?si=ScpcPkoqx_mnQ1Xj

Until next year!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Christmas Eve 2021

Here's a little look at Christmas Eve 2021. This was the final year for the Havenmoor House to host the holiday party for the Westra clan. The Jensen's were visiting the Jensen side of the family this year, but even without their crew, the place was pretty packed. 

There was the traditional soups, breadsticks, Brazilian cheese rolls (for the G/F crew) and oodles of desserts. And if there weren't already enough treats, then there was the CANDY BAR game. It gets a little crazy. 

Jen brought some "photobooth" props, and they were a hit and perfect for poses and helped get some additional pictures. Everyone watched the annual slideshow and looked through the new calendar for 2022. It was fun to get the family together to celebrate Christmas Eve, to eat and reminisce, and make more memories.  

Christmas Eve 2018

Christmas Eve 2018 ... it was on a Monday this year.  We had the whole crew this year (Jensen's alternate with Rick's side of the family). There was soup and breadsticks and lots of treats too (in Jen's journal she mentioned making marshmallow brownies, mint brownies, and Swig sugar cookies...  anyone else remember what they brought?) The candy bar game is always a hit with the kids. Then there was the annual slideshow video (Westra 2018). There were a couple extra videos too, a shorter video of Cousins 2018, and then the Stairway to Nowhere video as well.  Lots of fun highlights from the year. 

Blackham's got a family photo (Sol was now officially a member, this would be their family photo for the newsletter next year), Calder was obsessed with his cousin Alyssa, and Jen and Rella had cute Christmas earrings. So festive!

For the gift exchange  ... 

Scott's family gave to Chris&Kim's crew

Chris's crew gave to Jensens

Jensens gave to Blackhams

Blackhams gave to Shane&Alicia's family

Shane & Alicia gave to D&D's family

Derek&Danielle's family Scott&Amy's family

Kim's sister was visiting, and we thought we might try to do the nativity, but we didn't get around to it (and there just aren't that many kids willing to participate any more). The nativity DOES tend to get people to pull their cameras out. Otherwise everyone is too busy visiting and having fun to take pictures.

Christmas Eve 2017

For Christmas this year, the Westra clan got a nice, updated family photo! We had the annual picture from Father's Day, but as almost everyone was in attendance (missing a couple missionaries) it was fun to get a family photo in Mom and Dad's Havenmoor home. This picture would end up enlarged and on the wall a little later on.

The photo above was the end result ... here's few photos leading up to that final shot.

(and a few candids as Grayson's phone was snapping away)

Everyone is looking a little to the right ... because Alicia's camera was the important one!

Gray's phone was a little to the left ;) 

We had our traditional Christmas Eve meal of soups (Taco soup, Chicken Noodle Soup,  Lasagna Soup) bread sticks and gluten free Brazilian cheese rolls, chips and crackers and a cheese ball and lots of yummy treats! The kids played the traditional candy bar game and we watched the annual slide show.

In addition to the usual gift exchange, Blackhams brought a bunch of pots and pans. They were switching to an induction oven and almost all of the old cookware would no longer work. So the other families got to pick and choose a few pieces if they wanted ... including the huge stockpot that Jen had brought her chicken noodle soup in. Poor Jen, she HAD to get new pots and pans in addition to the new stove.

Christmas Eve was on a Sunday, and the Westra party ran from about 3:30-6:30. 

Merry Christmas from Shane & Alicia (2017)

 

A simple but oh so cute card featuring Shane & Alicia's family in 2017. 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2016

 

Christmas Eve was on a Saturday in 2016. It started off with the traditional soups and breadsticks, with a cheeseball/crackers and lots of desserts after dinner. Then everyone gathered around the TV for the annual slideshow and passing out the family calendars.

Then the CANDY BAR game ... always fun (maybe a few tears)

Here's a little video clip ...

https://youtu.be/HkCpiwRWaok

What were the rules? Did they change? Should have kept the camera going!

Then - there was the nativity. It had been a few years since the kids had costumed up. The Blackham family had been doing some cleaning up and weren't sure they had a spot to store the big bin anymore. Jen had dropped the box of costumes off to the folk's house a few weeks before Christmas ... on the condition that she didn't have to take it back home afterward. *Ü*

Some of the bigger "kids" filled in needed spots. 

Derek was the star of the show. Literally.

Another Westra Christmas Eve in the books ... and now on the blog.

Christmas 2015

Christmas Eve 2015 was on a Thursday. All the families met at Grandma and Grandpa's house per usual. There were several soups, breadsticks and treats. Grandpa had the idea to put santa hats upside-down in the big vases, with poinsetta flowers. It was a fun and unique decor idea. 

After eating, everyone gathered for the candy bar game ...

... and then there was the annual slideshow.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Christmas 2000

 

The Westra Christmas Eve Nativity was featured in the Christmas 1999 post ... but only video, no pictures (although the video shows some camera flashes. Where are those photos?) This year, there was a plethora of pictures of the nativity ... but not really anything else from that night. Video from this year also only showcases the nativity.

No journal entry from Jen this year (her 2000 journal seemed to stop around the time Keaton was born in September ... busy with baby!) Anything in Dad or Wendy's records to remember? Jen does recall that this was Keaton's second time playing the baby Jesus this year. Jen performed in a stake musical showcase. She was Mary and the director wanted a live baby Jesus in the scene. Jen didn't volunteer Keaton as he wasn't newborn, but in the end, she was called and asked if she had a baby and was willing to let him be in the production ... ironically the caller didn't realize Jen was playing Mary, it was just a random request! There had been some concern that a live baby might cry, but Keaton did great. Both times!

Here's video ...

https://youtu.be/DB4ivtgpiEY

Jen created the scrapbook page shown at the top (featuring Provo Craft products, she was working as a brand ambassador on their Dream Team at the time) but there were even more pictures that didn't make it on the page. Some are repeats of those showcased above, and all are in the Dropbox folder (2000/Christmas).

... in the top left photo, you can see Jason and Kiki's little boy in the "sheep costume" for a moment before taking off (was it his parents, or the shepherds, that chased him down as he took off?)

Christmas 1999

Christmas 1999 ... a close capture of the stockings (11 little ones), a tree cut from the yard (judging by the shape), the candy bar game, and I believe this was the first year the nativity was introduced. There is video, but there are NO pictures in Dropbox of the kids in costumes (there are flashes during the video, so pictures were taken ... not sure where they are though!)

Conner was Joseph, McKenna was Mary. Alyssa was an angel, Kaden a shepherd. Landon was a wiseman, joined by Chris and Derek (adults had to fill in roles several years) and Sandy was the star. Future years would have larger casts with many angels, shepherds and animals.

https://youtu.be/nJ6-o5ZOW28

... and a few more photos from the party. No Jensens in the photos, so they must have been with Rick's side of the family for Christmas Eve this year. We did have the Normans and the Grandparents though.

... one more picture, Derek and friends, maybe going caroling? There are lights on the trees and everyone is dressed warmly, although there is no snow.  This was taken with Jen's camera, grouped with the other Christmas Eve pictures, and catching a glimpse of Derek in the video, I believe he was wearing this shirt ...so it should be Christmas Eve also. 

Happy Holidays ~ 1998

I've noticed that the majority of pictures from family gatherings come from my/Jen's camera. For Christmas 1998, I was pregnant with Callahan and wasn't feeling great. It was a little earlier in December when I'd passed out in Sacrament meeting. Grayson was shifting jobs (had quit K&B, went Pentalon, but then got the Hamlet Homes offer) - so life was a little crazy and I didn't get pictures of Christmas Eve ... or at least I thought I hadn't, as I didn't find the usual ones at the Havenmoor Home. I was keeping a journal at this time (the memories from above and some of the dates below) but didn't mention much about Christmas Eve ... except to say that we were late (as usual). Wendy consulted her journals and was able to add some details. We'll have to check out Dad's journals to see if he has more memories from December 1998.

At the end of November, Jensens were in town, and stayed at the Blackham's. On November 28, we had a belated Westra Thanksgiving at the Havenmoor House.  There were several pictures of the grandkids with gifts in December Dropbox that were labeled "Christmas 1998", but you can see the corner (bottom left), and the tree isn't there. Some years though, the tree was at the base of the stairs instead of in the corner.  Landon and McKenna are holding gifts, so it would be easy to think it was Christmas ...but this was the dinner and "December" birthday celebration (photos of Jase, with a second pink cake for Janika). 

Wendy had a little bit of video from the day ...

https://youtu.be/cQiD_QunEPQ

Thanks to Wendy's journal entry, we now know that Christmas Eve 1998 was actually held at Scott and Amy's house (on Rosewood Park Lane in Draper). Note the different decor and couches in the three photos (Christmas Eve 2012 would also be hosted by Scott&Amy). At the Westra home, I'm sure another little stocking was added to Scott&Amy's with the addition of little Kemery this year.

The picture of the Jensen family (bottom center) is back at the Havenmoor House right around Christmas. You can see the card holder decoration there in the background. The group of grandkids on the stairs?  Another journal entry indicates a belated Christmas dinner at the folks on December 28, so maybe it was from then (found footage ... video from this event below), or another time before when everyone was together (different outfits than any of the other photos). 

THIS video was uncovered after this post went up. All the indications (ages, # of stockings, placement on the video between 1997 and 1999) are that this is Christmas 1998, but if Christmas Eve was held elsewhere, perhaps this is from the post-Christmas party on December 28th.

https://youtu.be/PVj_ZGX1UcQ

Lots of detective work required for this year. What have we learned?

Keep journals. Take photos & label photos. Add personal pictures to the family Dropbox.

Christmas 1997

 

1997 ... Corin and Jase were a new additions, and Shane was back from his mission. Wendy and Rick moved to St. George, but came back for Christmas, although they were with the Jensen family for Christmas Eve. Based on a journal entry, the party was shifted a bit earlier this year as Chris's crew needed time to get back to Fayette to celebrate Christmas morning there. There was the Christmas Day gathering at Merrill and Lorrie's on Christmas Day, and Jensens were able to make that, and so the cousins got to meet baby Jase for the first time.

Here's a bit of video ... Jen starts it off, then Dad/Lamar takes over. Dad mentions that their camcorder died, so this one was taken on Jen's machine. The Christmas Tree wasn't captured on camera, but it's there in the video tour. Another Home Depot tree ($17).  A look at the lights and the opening of gifts.

https://youtu.be/EUNthxgR8qU

... and a few more photos from the holiday season.

Christmas 1996

 

Christmas 1996 ... looks like another "Home Depot" Christmas tree (with the perfect shape) and a kid crew choo-choo train. No video clips to get a bit more background. One new baby this year ... Kellen was born a few months before the holiday.

Here's a few more photos from the holiday season ...

Derek and his friend Travis. A baby bundled up Kellen ... who is NOT happy taking some family photos in front of the tree. Pictures capture a couple other visits to the house, and a peek at the Hands in Harmony carolers that Rick put together.

Here's a link to the annual Westra Newsletter recapping the events of 1996. 

Christmas 1995

There were THREE new babies (stockings) added to the Westra clan this year (Alyssa, Landon and Janika). Missing Shane, his first Christmas gone on his mission.  The Jensen's alternate with Rick's side of the family, so they weren't there for Christmas Eve, but were able to join for Christmas Day at Merrill and Lorrie's house. 

Here's some video from the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day gatherings ... Dad/Lamar mentions that the tree (notice it's perfect/more commercial shape) was NOT taken from the yard this year. The stockings were hung by the stairs. This was before the big entertainment center, with the older/big tube television. Interesting to note the changes over the years!

https://youtu.be/OCq2IRZliBE

... and more miscellaneous Christmas pictures.

Merry Christmas Memories!

 

Christmas 1994

 (This will be backdated to December 1994)

It was the Westra Christmas Eve in the new Havenmoor House. We didn't have the whole Norman crew joining this year, just the grandparents, and Katie and Anderson. One new grandbaby - Kaden. Lots of cute pictures ... most in hats!

More of the munchkins, who thought a broken chair was the best toy of all!

Conner tried out the rainstick , while Scott was throwing himself away.

Here's video from that night.

https://youtu.be/JEKVsihnITY

Christmas Day was  at Merrill and Lorrie's house...

Christmas 1993

Christmas 1993 ... this was the last Christmas in the Hermitage House. Mckenna had been born in February, so there were now two grandbabies to spoil. This year we have pictures and video!  At the very end of the video clip, Dad/Lamar mentions that the tree was taken from the backyard by Donaldsons. 

https://youtu.be/1kvaCMTzRLg

... and some additional Christmas pictures. Cute McKenna in a Santa hat, most likely at a Christmas Day gathering up at Merrill and Lorrie's home (they had moved to a nice new house). Some additional pictures of McKenna (again in a Santa hat) at the folks home, sometime other than Christmas Eve (based on different outfits). A glimpse of Gray and Jen's new place in Midvale, the folks came out to visit.

Merry Christmas Memories!

Christmas 1992

In 1992, Amy and Grayson are officially in the Westra clan (with weddings earlier in the year). There was a new baby too ... baby Conner! There is just over seven minutes of video footage (no photos were found), and there is audio. It's all from Christmas Eve, with the extended family over (Grandparents Norman and Merrill's family). Shane is actually the one behind the video camera at the start, then Jen takes a quick turn, then Dad/Lamar.

https://youtu.be/Ep0u4WzXfIM

Most of the Grandkid Generation are very familiar with the "candy bar game" as a classic Christmas activity... and based on this video, we now know the tradition goes back at least to 1992!

While Christmas EVE was always held at the Westra home, it was often followed by a Christmas (or New Years) celebration up in the avenues at Merrill and Lorrie's home. Homemade scones were a memory from these get-togethers. The downstairs kitchen, the big table in the side room with the big tortoise shell hanging on the wall. 

\

https://youtu.be/2RQaIQAXhwQ

Merry Christmas Memories!

Christmas 1991 - Video from the Hermitage House

It's Christmas! The folks had an old VHS camcorder and Dad/Lamar would pull it out from time to time ... that included holidays of course. There was a tape labeled "Christmas" and it has video from several Westra Christmases, starting in 1991.

In 1991, we were in the Hermitage House. The furniture set up isn't one I remember much (usually it was the stereo or piano there on the west side). There is a fire in the rock-lava fireplace, the stockings and other traditional Christmas decor. We'll have to check Dad's records as to where the Christmas tree came from (most were cut down from the yard).

Even though this video clip was on the VHS tape, there is no original audio, but a music track overlay (which I didn't do, or don't remember doing). All future video clips have the original audio, unlike the older ones, which never did (Old Fashioned Film and Video - Westra Classic Home Movies). 

https://youtu.be/05PcbBUfNbg

As far as family ... The Norman grandparents are there, as well as Merrill and Lorrie and their kids. Chris was the only Westra sibling married at this time, but both Scott and Jen had their significant others there (Amy and Grayson respectively). Dad/Lamar filming, we get a look around at the Christmas Eve party, and then of Christmas morning (with the traditional youngest to oldest line up down the hallway). 

Merry Christmas!

Dutch Christmas Song: SinterKlaas Kapoentje

When we were kids Dad often had little songs and sayings that he would share with us. One of these was a little Dutch Christmas Song called "SinterKlaas Kapoentje." I asked Dad to share the lyrics of this song (with the correct spelling) and he sent me this information:

Here is the little song they sing in Holland on Zinterklaas Dag, which is on the 5th of December.  

This is how it is spelled in Dutch (Nederlands).

SinterKlaas Kapoentje

Gooij wat in mijn schoentje

Gooij wat in mijn larsje

Dank ja SinterKlarsje 

Here is how we might pronounce it in some kind of phonetic way. 

SinterKlaas Kapoontcha

Go-ee vat in mine schoontcha

Go-ee vat in mine larssha

Dank ya SinterKlarsha

Here is a translation in English.  

SinterKlaas You little elf

Throw something in my little shoe                  

Throw something in my little boot

Thank you little SinterKlaas

Gooij = throw

Wat = something

Schoentje = little shoe

Larsje = little boot

Rick recently did a podcast of both Mom and Dad and Dad actually sang THIS SONG in his podcast! Dad starts to explain the background of this song around (9 minutes and 40 seconds into the podcast and then sings it! ) I think most of the Westra kids have this song memorized!  

My Dad has some wooden shoes from his mission that we would often use for Show and Tell at school. Jeni is wearing them in this picture at our Girl Scout Cultural Night:

 I think this picture was taken on Dad's mission. It shows the Dutch people wearing wooden shoes.  

Perhaps we were celebrating Netherland traditions with my primary class in 1975 when we placed all of our shoes outside the classroom and then later found them filled with treats!

1975: Wendy's Primary Class in the Cottonwood 11th Ward (Teacher DeLora Gould)

(Back Row) 

Tally Lloyd, Robbie Lindsey, KirkWahlen, Tanji Anderson, Julie Monson, Michael Richards 

(Front Row)

 Joey Orvin, Wendy Westra, Anna Marie Tims, Wendy Woodbury