Christmas Eve

Here are some pictures of our Christmas Eve fun. We usually eat a big meal and then decorate cookies. This year we did it for lunchtime which turned out better so we were not so tired at the end of the day! This tradition started a few years ago when Suzanne Puckett called us up and wanted to bring over sugar cookies for the kids to decorate. It was so much fun we kept doing it. This year they had plans with her parents on Christmas Eve so we just did it with the missionaries. After we decorated all the cookies we divided them up and took them to our friends. This was the first year we did this and it was a lot of fun. I think we might try to incorporate that into our Eve traditions for next year.

After delivering cookies we came home, had a little dinner and I sewed up the kids Christmas PJs. They always get new ones to open on Christmas Eve. This year they knew what the fabric looked like so I got them a shirt that was a suprise. Sophia's shirt says "HAPPY" because a few weeks ago I was brushing her hair and she said "i just can't stop smiling! I am just so happy!" She didn't have anything in particular to be happy about....she was just noticing that she was always happy! Nate's shirt has no significance....it just matched his pants;) Those PJs are made from fleece which is not ideal for 70 degree winters!

Another tradition for Christmas Eve is reading the Christmas story. We all sit at the table with a candle. One person picks their favorite carol for us all to sing. Then they light their candle. The next person picks a song, we sing and light his candle. It goes on like this until all candles are lit. Then we sing "Silent Night" followed by reading about the birth of Jesus by the candle light. That is always nice.

Now the kids are ready for bed and Richard and I started wrapping and arranging the gifts. On Christmas morning the kids open their Santa gifts first and then we eat breakfast before opening the rest. The last picture in the collage is the letter Santa left Sophia and Nate.