Christmas Eve was such a sweet time for our family. Its coming had been long anticipated by the children as they moved the candle around the wooden wreath each night at dinner, counting down the days until the wooden Mary on her donkey arrived to the stable for baby Jesus to be born. This was a new tradition for us that we will definitely look forward year after year. It gave all of us a tangible, visual reminder each day of what it was we were counting down for, keeping the anticipation where it should be, on the birth of baby Jesus. On the night of Christmas Eve, we had an early dinner and as we lit the candle and moved it to its final spot on the wreath, we talked about how tonight was such a special night, because we had finally arrived to the night we had been counting down to this whole month. We spent the rest of the entire evening sitting by the fire, opening presents, playing games, singing, and just enjoying being together. It was such happy and cozy night.
Our Christmas Eve traditions include each of us giving a gift to one another. The kids always open up a new pair of pajamas to wear for Christmas morning and a new family game for us all to play on Christmas Eve.
Daddy was very excited to open up his new slippers to wear on Christmas morning.
Little Anna has wanted so badly for a long time to give her mommy a heart shaped locket, and she was so excited to give it to me. I love her sweet and caring heart.
and Kate was about to burst out of her skin waiting to give me her gift. She had tried with all her might to give it to me early on many occasions, starting as soon as she had it wrapped a few days before. She loves to give to people and the anticipation was killing her. I can't wait to drink my coffee out of her special mug each morning.
We all had so much fun sitting by the fire playing our new game, Scatterpillar Scramble. I don't know who got into it more, the kids or their daddy! It really was a fun game that we could all enjoy, even Caleb. We shared many giggles around the fire racing our marble to the top of the wiggly, dancing caterpillar.
and the kids loved snuggling up by the fire with their new Christmas book "God gave us Christmas" for their bedtime story.
We finished up the night all snuggled up on the couch around our advent wreath, listening to "Away in a manger" together. Celebrating advent, using the candles and Christmas devotionals has been such a special time for the 24 evenings leading up to Christmas Eve. We could never forget to do it because the kids wouldn't let us. They couldn't wait to turn out all the lights and snuggle up together on the couch. Caleb would point to the couch and yell "sit mommy, sit" until I settled in beside him.The first week of advent the song we listened to was "Rejoice". Caleb learned how to sing it quickly and it was so sweet to hear his little voice singing "Tu-joy, Tu-joy, e-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-e-well" otherwise known as "rejoice, rejoice, emanuel". Every night after dinner he would run to the coffee table, and say "tu-joy" meaning he wanted us to come sing around the candles. So many special memories made here.
And, finally here they are about to head upstairs to bed at the end of a happy night. They don't look the least bit excited, do they?
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