Christmas in Europe - Romania - Day 5 - Christmas Day

It's Christmas Day and yes Santa found us all the way in Romania.  Our Christmas's are very simple since our trips are our main gift to the family.

 Vika was up bright and early to see if Santa came.  Jonny, not so much awake yet.

 The hotel gave us a small Christmas tree to have in our room.  It's small but served it's purpose for Santa to put his few gifts under it.

Santa knows what we really want…CHOCOLATE!

Nicole and her Arabic necklace.

Nicole - in Arabic

More chocolate

and STR8…straight.  

Vika got a fluffy sheep that also is a pillow.

Jonny with his chocolate and STR8 spray.

Santa remembered Coree's favorite perfume.

After presents and breakfast we walked up to the Gondola's to take a ride up to the top of the mountain.

The Mountain Man

View from the gondola to the top.

Gerbers

Rundell's

 We made it to the top to find not much snow but cold, cold temperatures and lots of ice.  It was a bit difficult to walk around without slipping and sliding on the road.  There is a hotel up here that we actually looked into renting but are so glad we didn't because you are so secluded from the town.  If there was snow and the ski runs were open, it might be nice.  The hotel was built during the communist reign so it is your typical block style building.  There was a road for vehicles to drive up but with the icy roads, it didn't look to safe.

We went into the restaurant at the top for some hot chocolate.  It was quite the different atmosphere with animal skins and heads all over the walls.

Kids and their hot chocolate.

Adult table.

Very interesting collections of animals.

What's Christmas without your razorback all decked out.

While we were in Bran yesterday, Coree got a traditional fur hat.  Very warm and cozy.

Gavin with the Romanian look.

That's better.

The hotel provided a Christmas dinner for us.  There weren't many people there but a very nice traditional Romanian Christmas dinner.

Merry Christmas smiles.

Romanian Carolers.

 Carolers came by the hotel and sang Christmas songs in Romanian while we were eating.  Even though we didn't understand what they were singing, it really brought the Christmas spirit in.  They even sang a few English carols with their heavy Romanian accents.  It was really fun because they were trying to make it fun for us.  While they were singing, Santa came and had small gifts for everyone…more chocolate.  He didn't speak any English but tried to communicate to the kids.

Vika and Santa

Nicole and Santa

Jonny and Santa

and of course Santa and the girls, Coree and Alichia.

 After dinner we gathered with the Gerber's for white elephant gifts.  We gave all the kids money while we were in Bran and Dracula's Castle to get white elephant gifts, can you guess what the Christmas theme was for these gifts?

Dracula Shot glass?  Vika loved it though.

The best part of the day was talking to our missionary in Russia…Sister Rachel Rundell.  She wasn't able to Skype because she was in a small area where she didn't have access to a computer so we only got to talk to her, but that's good enough for us.  We had 40 minutes to chat.

Jonny talking to Rachel

Vika talking to Rachel

Mommy and Daddy talking to their little girl.

All in all it was a great day.  Didn't have to fill it with presents and all that commercialism that you get in other places.  All we needed for a great Christmas was family and friends to spend it with.  Everything was great but the topper was talking to Rachel.  Miss that girl!