Maui Day 7 (Christmas!!)

Christmas Day!!!

We had a fabulous Christmas day this year. I tried really hard to make Christmas special for the boys this year. Last year we spent Christmas in Maui, and we had given the boys their gifts before we left because it was all golf stuff and we wanted them to be able to use it for the whole trip. I think the boys were disappointed that they didn't really have anything to open (although we did give them each a little gift) and that they didn't really get stockings, so to them it didn't really feel like Christmas. So this year, we implied that they wouldn't be getting stockings so that it would be a surprise and I wrapped every little thing so they would have lots to open. I think it worked, they seemed very surprised and much happier and excited than last year.

The Stockings:

When my niece stayed with us for a week in October she brought her Magna Doodle and the boys could not stop playing with it, so they each got their own mini version in their stockings. And seriously they played with them all day, and are still playing with them.
Jack got a calculator!!

The boys got me the first 3 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which I have always wanted to watch, so now I can!!

John made us all a nice Christmas day brunch, here are the boys enjoying it:

We didn't really do too much for the rest of the afternoon, just kind of vegged, and the boys went to the pool. Before we knew it, it was time to go to dinner. I made us a reservation at the Wailea Marriott's Mala Wailea. They had a big Christmas Buffet going on, so I thought that would suit us just fine.

Here is the view from our table at the restaurant:

And the food was spectacular. There was turkey, prime rib, sushi, seafood, the best mashed potatoes you can imagine, stuffing, cheese & crackers, salad and everything in between. It was fabulous, and we all got our fill.

Once we were done eating, I had yet another surprise for the boys. I brought table gifts for everyone, which I can't believe no one noticed me carrying the bag, but hey they're teenage boys. Table gifts are something that their Mom always does with them, although she does a way more extravagant tie a ribbon around the gift/maze to your dessert spoon thing, and we just did a gift at the table. I didn't want to steal her tradition, but John and I both wanted the boys to feel like they weren't missing out on anything. And it went over really well. They really enjoyed it.
After dinner we headed back to the condo, and chilled till we went to bed. All in all it was a great day, and I think it was way better than last year. Way more Christmassy!