Christmas Eve 2012

Soooo, wanted to fill you in on our Christmas activities.  Most of these are from Christmas Eve which we always host at our house.  We had about 20 family members and friends who we consider family there.  Lots of fun!  

Miss A had a birthday--not on Christmas Eve, but close.  She is 15--man, where does the time go????  She is a beautiful, talented, smart, and most of all kind, good young woman, and we are so blessed to have her in our family!!!!

Okay, so Christmas Eve--we always have soup--this year we had homemade hearty chicken noodle that my sister made and was amazing!  I did my DeeDee's chili, and my mom did potato cheese--yum!  After we eat we sing lots of Christmas songs.  Each of my kids play.  Mr J started us off.  

We also sing Christmas songs and play hand bells to go along.  Music is a big part of our Christmas Eve celebration.

We always re-in act the Nativity story from Luke 2.  Mr J was so excited to be Joseph this year, and we had some sweet, awesome sister missionaries with us from our church.  One of them played Mary.  

Miss A was the Angel of the Lord--and a very good star holder too.

My mom, Miss O, and my brother-in-law were the shepards--who were being afraid as the angel talked to them and told them to "fear not!"

The three wise men(women)--my nephew, Miss E, and the other sister missionary bearing their gifts to the new baby.

Then one of the sister missionaries shared with us one of her family traditions.  She recited the poem The Boy who Laughed at Santa Claus by Ogden Nash.  She said her sister recites it every Christmas Eve in her family.  It is a cute poem and easily found on the internet--google it, and you will find.

Finally we end with the kids opening one gift Christmas Eve--which is always new pajamas.

I think they loved them, or at least posing in them.  Then cookies and egg nog (non-alcoholic, Miss E was quick to point out in the note for Santa) were left for Mr. Claus and these kids went to bed, and we followed. . . several hours later :)