Annual Barrett Family Christmas

My mother is one of 10 in an extremely close family.  5 of the siblings live in the same town and 8 of the 10 are in New England.  I am the 2nd oldest grandchild out of 30.  While we get together many times a year the highlight is the annual Christmas party.  When I was growing up we all gathered at my grandparents house after dinner on Christmas night but we finally outgrew it as the family kept getting bigger and bigger.  For their 50th wedding anniversary which happens to fall right after Christmas we rented a church hall and had our celebration there.  I believe that this is our 14th year of doing it this way.   The party is always the Saturday after Christmas and includes good food and always lots of singing and dancing.  This year was no exception.

 

My mother (in red on the far left) with her 9 siblings and her parents.  

 

Nana and Grampa and 27 of their 30 grandchildren.  Our ages range from 35-12. 

I am trying to think of just how big this side of my family is so bear with me while I do the math:

Nana and Grampa

10 kids + their 10 spouses

30 grandchildren + 5 spouses+ 2 fiancées

8 great grandchildren + 2 on the way

plus there are always boyfriends/girlfriends, college roommates etc. that join us as well.

WOW, we are up to 67 and growing each year!

 

I love being part of such a big family!

Xav gifting a gift to Zack.

 

We always have some form of musical entertainment.  Over the years we have had talent shows, several DJ’s, musicians and even square dance callers.  This year my Uncle Steve rented a professional grade karaoke machine.  It was a HUGE hit!   Nearly everyone in my family loves to perform!

 

Rich and the kids singing “we wish you a Merry Christmas”

 

Mom, Uncle Steve and Nana and Grampa singing Neil Diamond

 

We ended the afternoon with sing-along Christmas songs  

Lauren and Kathryn requested “Going to the Chapel” in honor of Nana and Grampa’s 64th wedding anniversary.  They know all of the words and sounded so good.  I was such a proud Mama!  Zack jumped up on stage and grabbed a microphone too, he wasn’t about to be outshone by his sisters.  He knows all of the words too.  LOL

They started out singing with my Mom and Grandmother but when it became obvious that these kids knew all the words and have no problem performing for the 50+ people watching them they tiptoed off the stage. 

 

My favorite picture of the night were the two that I snapped out the way out.  Lauren and Kathryn with their Great Grandmother (and Kathryn’s namesake).