España, Día 6: Navidad

I don't remember ever sleeping so late on Christmas. It was after noon when we woke the kids.
That's Pablo's stocking in the chair beside the Charlie Brown tree with the ornament Norah gave us.  

Nina's stocking is on the left, beside the Doritos "Dippas"; Emilio's is on the right, with the Ritz crackers and the "Tex-Mex" flavored Doritos. This year's stockings were snack strong.

Nina and Emi got chocolate Euros and chocolate "3 Kings" bars.

Among other things, Santa brought Pablo six different varieties of potato chips (he and Nina and I did a taste test later). He also brought him a mini-cheese grater (parmesan comes in blocks in la casa de los abuelos).

Pokemon cards were a hit. 12

Gimena and significant other, Teo, arrived at 2:30. Rita and Uxue spent the holiday with Iñaki.

Christmas dinner: feijuada (black beans) for me and the kids.

After dinner, Gimena sang all the verses of the traditional Spanish Christmas carol "Los peces en el rio" accompanied by those who knew the words. Nina, and Mari and I followed with "The Internationale" and the "Marsellaise" (Pabi and Emi did not join us). The Argentines then followed with a patriotic Argentine hymn.

After lunch: the Charlie Brown tree. 

The adults exchanged gifts Secret Santa-style. Jaime really liked the 3-disc collection of Nina Simone that I got him. 

Teo got me a book about the collection at the Reina Sofia. Jaime and Maria Rosa also got me some pins and the flag of the Spanish Second Republic (the good guys in the Spanish Civil War): two wins.

We got Nina an Atletico de Madrid t-shirt that she can wear to the soccer game on Sunday.

We got Emi a expensive pair of Vuori "Sunday joggers."

Mari brought art for Gime and Teo.

We got Pablo a Lego Bonsai (a day later he had already put it together). We added it to Abuela's plant corner.

The rest of the Ruiz Blancos went in to get Pablo a Star Wars Lego set that he was very happy with.

Nina and Emi got money (about $100?) and a few more little things. The whole tree took about 30 minutes?  

The 2021 Xmas Family Portrait

After the tree, card games were played at the kitchen table (one, above, was "spoons"). 

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After Teo and Gimena left, Nina, Mari, Gerardo, Emilio and I went for a night walk.

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Throughout the day, we remembered family in Texas.

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Our walk took us to a new ice cream place near the Plaza Mayor and to the Cine Ideal, where Mari and I saw a movie on May 27, 1994 (we also got married that day).

Feliz Navidad!