Saturday morning open thread

On the oft-chance that Joe might want a little holiday, I'm doing the morning thread for him. Heading out with my sister and her family to downtown Chicago for their annual shopping excursion that ends with the whole gang taking in the lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo at night. It's really quite lovely.

Christmas was nice, and we followed the usual tradition. Christmas eve we used to all go to my grandmother's house and open the gifts that we bought for her to give us, surprising her with each unwrap. After she died, we decided to continue the tradition at one of her daughter's houses, so this year was at our house. Christmas morning, we wait for my brother and sisters, and families, to arrive, then my bro-in-law makes us all a huge breakfast. While he's busy cooking, mom sets up the table.



Somehow the kids have accepted the fact that we don't open gifts until after we eat. That doesn't stop my niece Sofia from checking out the gifts.



Afterwards, my sister's dog Carmela continues her very strange fascination with the fireplace. She can sit there for hours and growl at it. She does the same at the fireplace at my sister's house. And she has a weird thing for doors as well.