24th of December – finally twas the night before Christmas
After much excitement and preparation, Christmas Day is nearly here.
We are having a major cleaning/purging/chopping of vegetables this morning – involving as much of the family as possible.
As I am posting this earlier in the day, any photos I use to illustrate our Christmas Eve traditions will be using last years photos. Could not guarantee I will be up to blogging later this evening, and you will all probably be too busy to be reading blogs by then too.
For the first time in 17 years of marriage, my husband is on leave from work this Christmas Eve, so it feels like Christmas is starting early.
Tonight, as is our custom, we plan to take a walk around the local neigbourhood to see some of the Christmas lights decorating the houses. Mostly it is white lights, and only a few have the large outdoor displays. Lets just say some embrace the season more enthusiastically than others.
The kids get into their (usually new) pyjamas and we read some Christmas books, including Twas the Night Before Christmas and also a lovely book I was sent by a blogger last year called Three Trees.
We light all the advent candles on the Christmas Pyramid and sing some Christmas carols – to me this is one of the most special moments of Christmas, among all the excitement, presents and food, when we take time to reflect on what it should really be about.
We will get Santa’s snack ready – usually a glass of port, a mini-mince pie and of course a carrot for Rudolf – and leave it by the chimney with the stockings.
There is usually an appropriate Christmas movie to watch, served up with mugs of hot chocolate and the kids get to choose a small gift from under the tree to open, before heading to bed.
My husband attends Christmas Eve Communion at church while I sort out some last minute essentials.
So that is our traditional Christmas Eve, and I would love to hear how you spend yours.
wonderful traditions and so beautiful lights and candles. I love your christmas family shots – full of closeness, joy and harmony!!
Thanks for your Christmas wishes. Merry Christmas to you too!
I enjoyed reading about all your traditions. We do the same thing – new xmas pjs, Polar Express movie and then setting out Santa’s plate. I like the idea of port but the kids insist on milk.
Merry Christmas, JanMary! May you have a blessed holiday!
Merry, Merry Christmas JanMary to you and your family!
Our traditional Christmas Eve is celebrated with my birthday and then getting ready for Christmas morning! We do the cinnamon sticky buns and coffee/eggnog routine for the morning before opening gifts…and while we open gifts.
But first we start out with the kitties opening their stockings!
We have my family and Nate’s family over for our big Christmas Eve dinner and all the kids read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” – I absolutely LOVE Christmas Eve! Even better than Christmas day!
Have a wonderful Christmas, JM!
Lovely traditions! We’re still working on making our own traditions as a family since Jillian is still a toddler. I really want to incorporate a reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas. Our church services usually throw a wrench in that though. Since I’m in our church choir, we sing at both the 7:30pm and 9pm services. I usually have Jillian with me for the first service and take her home in between services for my husband to put her to bed. Eventually I’d like for Jillian to stay for both church services, because the 9pm service is a “Lessons and Carols” service, consisting of about nine different readings from the Bible broken up with carols and anthems in between.