Twas the Night Before Christmas

And all the night long,
Christmas traditions were ringing with feasting and song.

That's the poetic way of saying that we had dinner and a devotional (with the one-and-only Heather, auntie extraordinaire).

Everyone before dinner.

This year's dinner was pork roast, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

And a Jell-o-y homage to the Mexican flag, apparently.

We have a few Christmas dinner traditions: we eat by candlelight and we pop Christmas crackers with the person next to us (and tell the joke and wear the paper crown contained therein).

Cam and his crown.

This year Heather introduced us to a new tradition: the peppermint pig. From an article on the subject:

As the candy pig is passed around the dinner table, each person uses the hammer to break a piece off, and then shares a bit of good fortune from the year just passed, with hopes of good luck and prosperity for the new year ahead. 

Heather read the tradition to us and took the first pound of the mallet.

Mary said that seeing everyone at Thanksgiving was a good thing that happened this year.

Cameron said that he made a lot of new friends.

The reason I write things down is because when I'm put on the spot I can hardly put my brain in gear. I know I have plenty of good fortune but I basically copied Mary's answer. Heather said, "I thought you would have mentioned going to Cambria's baptism" to which I enthusiastically replied, "Yes! That!" Oy. And a hundred other things.

Harrison did an experiment with the sparkling cider bottle.

After dinner we cleaned up a bit and had our candlelight devotional. This is a highlight of the entire Christmas season, for sure. Bryce always does such a good job of weaving scriptures and real life examples to really bring home the true meaning of Christmas.

Everyone with lit candles.

Sharing the light. Check out Mary in her cape.

"Ye are the light of the world" Matthew 5:14

At the end of the spiritual lesson we move on to our final Christmas Eve tradition: new pajamas and a new book. We are a family of readers and so the big kids usually race right up to their rooms to devour their new literature. We got Harrison a novel called "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio, which was daunting to read on his own. Cameron got two Diary of a Wimpy Kid books which was at the top of his wish list. Aunt Heather was a gem to read the books to both boys all week.

Not Christmas Eve, but I forgot to take a "new pjs" photo.

Heather reading to Cam.

And you will probably hardly believe this, but Bryce and I finished wrapping the gifts this year on December 22nd! So we were able to go to bed like normal people; I'm not sure that has ever happened before. Of course we three adults stayed up talking way too late instead but it was worth it.