Christmas Eve is always one of my favorite days. We spent it together and do all kinds of fun things.
First up was sledding. We have gone sledding now two years in a row on Christmas Eve. So I guess it is a tradition now. This time we just went to the sledding hill in our neighborhood. We brought a sled but also a kids snowboard. Sam was super brave and tried the snowboard first, everyone eventually tried it and it was difficult. Dad pulled kids up the hill repeatedly and we all sledded down. Bethany ate snow like always and we got in a lot of really fast runs. It was a gorgeous warm day, the snow was bright and all seemed right in the world.
Next up on the Christmas Eve agenda- making gingerbread houses. Like usual this is mostly about trying to get as much candy as possible on your house because you get to eat it eventually. Sweet Marianne made a stable with straw and a baby Jesus on it without anyone suggesting it. I was pretty proud of my own gingerbread house too.
Next came sibling swap. Each of the kids in the days before with me got a Christmas gift for the person whose name they drew. I helped them collect the gifts, but found that Kate and Sam had been making cards, and collecting gifts from party gift bags and school treats and their own toys for Marianne and were now fighting over who got to have her to give a gift too. Kate so sweetly had wrapped up on of her dolls Marianne liked and I accidentally ruined the surprise because I didn't know what the bag was for and opened it. She was very understanding, but I was so touched imagining Kate and Sam in their rooms downstairs at night when the girls and us are upstairs working together to think about what to give her. In the end Sam gave her some watercolors sets he had received at school. Kate gave Beth a stuffed puppy I had from a YW event. Sam and Kate I had things from the store for. These are always such fun gifts and sweet things. The kids get so excited about it and I love it.
A few other things I remember from this time because I wrote them down.
Marianne woke me up on Christmas Eve Morning but thought it was Christmas. I'm not sure what she thought when she didn't see any presents under the tree- she didn't seem to notice. She went straight to work making a card for me and putting it a bag she found, with other items she thought were special she found in her room and around the house some beads, a charm sweet thoughts. Then came and woke me up and said Merry Christmas mom I made you a present.... She is such a sweet giving girl!
Beth was hilarious this entire Christmas season singing Christmas Carols. Santa Clause is coming to Town became "Santa Clause is coming today" and she sang it over and over and it was adorable. She also sang "Ding Dong Ding Dong Christmas Bells are ringing" so sweetly just that line over and over again. She also was looking at a nativity picture book reading to herself one day and said "Baby Jesus had a farm. E I E I O" and i thought her mind was so smart!
Back to Christmas Eve. Shortly after sibling exchange we thought we heard something outside. We thought it might be the elf that visits us on Christmas Eve sometimes, but usually he doesn't come until night when we are in our pJs and it was day. But we looked outside and discovered a letter from him, candy canes and a present. Kate read the letter to everyone while the kids opened the present it was Perfection- the timed puzzle game. Our family had been really into doing wood puzzles and timing ourselves to see who was fastest. Even little Beth became able to do a really difficult puzzle in 2 minutes, so it was a fun gift to see if we could beat the clock.
I made a beautiful Christmas Dinner, with all kinds of special treats and decorated the table for the dinner. But no pictures were taken- it was just eaten. We didn't even get to the pie because we were so full for the dinner.
Then the kids received pi's from us and I made them take a million pictures by the Christmas Tree.
We read the nativity from the scriptures together as a family. And felt so very blessed to get to celebrate Christmas, celebrate together, and have a Savior so worth celebrating.
Then it was off to bed while we awaited Santa and all his elves.
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