Christmas Lights and Cousin Candy Bar Exchange

 

We switched up our cousin activities a little bit this year.  We usually try to see the lights while enjoying hot chocolate on a Sunday evening.  We had sickies this year, so we decided to combine it with the gift exchange later in the week.  It was nice that a few more of the big cousins were home from college.  (We missed you Stevie!)

Bryn, Park, Aub w/ Kaide, Braddock w/ Ella on his shoulders, Erin, Lauron, Hud and Brian

Ang, Charity and I serving up the hot chocolate.  It was a mild night this year, and we didn't have to bundle up too much.

Back row: Tanner, Brinley, Erin Braddock and Ella  Front row: Hud w/ Kaide and Charlotte

There is a two block neighborhood close to Chris and Ang's (Shiloh Rd), and they go all out on decorating.  We park a block away and walk up one street, loop around and then down the other street.  It's beautiful and fun to visit with each other as we go.

After enjoying the lights, we headed to the Vores.   

Courtney (18), Holden (18), Park(21), Tan (19), Erin (19 in two days), Braddock (15), Hud (13), Aub (17 in 2 weeks), Lauron (17)

We got to meet Holden's girlfriend, Courtney, for the first time.  She seemed sweet and fit right in.  We have lots of teens/young adult cousins right now.  

Instead of doing a true gift exchange, we tried something different.  The cousins brought their favorite candy bars plus $5.  We put different amounts of cash in envelopes and taped them to each candy bar. 

Kaide enjoyed picking up the candy bars and tossing them aside.

I was a little nervous about playing this game because of the younger cousins.  It's hard to understand why someone would take your candy.  Christian was so happy with the gummies.  

Then Charlotte, who is 10, stole them.  He took it like a champ, but Char was pretty sad when her older brother stole the gummies right back to "teach her a lesson."  Cousin gift exchange got off to a rough start!  But after the four younger ones had their turn, it was all is fair in love and war.  Plus, there really can't be a loser in this game.  Everyone ended up with a yummy candy bar and at least a few dollars.  Ella went home with bragging rights: forty dollars.

Charity taught the girls how to fold their bills into cute rings.  Big cousins are the best.

I guess next year we will decide if we will go back to drawing names or doing the candy bar swap again.  Mostly it's just nice to have an excuse to get all the cousins together for a couple of hours.

On the couch: Courtney, Holden, Parker (ignore the $200 he is showing...he pulled that out of his wallet!), Kaide and Tanner, Braddock, Hudson, Aub, La, Erin and Benja

Front row: Adam, Char, Ella, Lincoln, Christian, Charity, Jake, and Brinley