Christmas in the South!

    This Christmas, Justin and I are thankful that we were able to participate in both of our families' traditional yuletide festivities.  

    The Parrott family gathers in the old tobacco barn, located behind my grandmother's 1854 farmhouse, every Christmas eve to barbecue a hog. This tradition began with my grandfather, who would invite several men from the community to join him in this manly activity and enjoy a nice BBQ sandwich or two. At some point the invitations were extended to female family members, also - and so the tradition began.

  As we were discussing the origins of the tradition, my aunts and uncles determined it has been approximately 20 years that the entire family has enjoyed pulled pork with homemade vinegar-based barbecue sauce.  I have to give my Uncle Mike and Uncle Brad credit, because I do believe this year's hog was one of the best, and most tender they've cooked.

     I guess you can call this a Country Christmas, if you'd like. We spent most of our time out doors, shooting guns, burning off a small patch of pinewoods beside the barn, and just laughing and enjoying the company.

Thankfully this Christmas actually felt like Christmas. The temperatures were perfect to gather around a fire, swap stories, and reminisce. The temperature hovered in the 40's all day, which seemed much more appropriate than last year's 70 degree day.

   As the night came, and only because it was time to eat, not because were actually hungry, my Uncle Mike cooked Lowcountry Boil (which is a tradition that was started only about 4 or 5 years ago). We used my grandmother's well-used dough bowl and a brand-new bowl that Justin made for my dad as a Christmas present to serve our supper.  My dad kept a close watch over his new dough bowl to make sure it did not disappear into someone else's car.

  After dinner, we all ventured back to the house to open presents. As we were all sitting in a circle, we were reminded of how blessed we are to have our family to share in these fun-filled traditions.

   On Christmas morning, we woke up early to open presents and enjoy a breakfast of grits and leftover barbecue with my family. By 8:30, we were on the road heading from Florence, SC to Perry, GA, which is about a 5 1/2 hour drive. We arrived at Justin's grandparents' house around 2:30, ready to celebrate Christmas all over again. 

   Justin's grandma cooked up a feast of turkey and ham, mashed potatoes, and homemade noodles, green beans and dressing, sweet potato souffle, and yeast rolls. After dinner we are made a few trips to the dessert table room before waddling to the living room to open gifts.

   Unlike my family, the Tyson's take turns opening presents one at a time, from the youngest to the oldest. Which I think is a pretty good idea! The living room was barely large enough to fit the entire family, much less the bounty of presents that we were all opening. We all had plenty of presents, but of course the family's youngest members had the most gifts of all. I guess it is just too hard to walk by the baby aisle and not want to buy something! :) 

Here are a few pictures to show off our nieces:

 Grandpa and Lillian

Nathan and Lillian

  Travis and Gabriela play a mean piano.

 Gabriela sitting in the same chair Granddad Tyson sat in when he was her size.

It's sad, really; you can tell how neglected they are!