Christmas Eve

At our house, December 24th is where most of our Christmas traditions take place. First we start with a dinner; this year we chose a traditional English meal. Standing rib roast, roasted potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, green beans . . . and red jello. (The kids have to have SOMETHING they'll eat.) Mary sets the table with linens, china, and candles. And then we eat by candlelight. There's something festive-feeling about eating in the almost-dark.

We always do Christmas crackers, an English tradition Bryce loved from his mission.

(This year they will be New Years crackers, because we forgot them on top of the fridge.)

We clean up before our program. Of course the parents' jobs take a lot longer than the kids'.

Mary played "Jingle Bells" with flair.

Tyce read to the younger ones. Yes, they both have Batman masks on.




And finally we have our program.

We watch The Nativity and then we talk about the prophesies in the Book of Mormon of Jesus' birth. Each person gets a candle and we talk about sharing our light. We sing Christmas songs.

After that the kids sit by the tree to open their "one present."

We give the kids new pajamas and a special book. I was in charge of the night-wear and Bryce did the books.

Tyce got a Christmas volume of a Redwall book, and a graphic Redwall novel.

Mare got "Swan Lake" by Bryce's favorite author Mark Helprin, and he downloaded Tchaikovsky's music onto a CD for her to listen to while she read.

Cameron got illustrated poems by Langston Hughes; Harrison got illustrated poems by William Blake. They both love the poem "Tiger Tiger."




And then the kids go to bed with hugs and kisses.

Harrison was particularly concerned that he'd stay asleep so that Santa could come. At about 2 am he sneaked into our room and laid right down by the side of the bed. The next morning he was thrilled that Santa didn't notice he'd switched sleeping spaces.