Christmas Eve

Our family all gathers together on Christmas Eve for our celebration.  It's 1:00 in the afternoon and I am so excited.  Things are in pretty good shape for a change and I am not really frazzled....although there's still time for that I suppose! 

My dining room table is set and it looks just beautiful.  There's Christmas music playing and the new Mr. and Mrs. Claus are in front of the fireplace just waiting to be turned on.  Brent brought the singing Santa down and I can't wait for the girls to sing Christmas songs with him.  My tree is lit and is gorgeous.  I enjoyed having the whole family over to decorate it and have really loved turning it on each night.

The presents have all been wrapped for over a week, although I see that Brent has been a busy little elf and has placed some packages under the tree.  He is doing some crazy looking stretches and getting ready to go run.  I have a few food related things to do, but for the most part, I am in unusually good shape (and thus good spirits!).

Everyone has their traditions, and we are the same.  I love getting all the ornaments out each year.  I look forward to carefully unwrapping each of the heritage balls my Grandma Redlich made for me.  The last few years I've supplemented with some pine cones and birds I bought in Germany at Epcot.  The little angel my parents bought for their second Christmas still hangs on the tree, despite my Mom's best efforts to buy me a new tree topper. 

My brother always cooks Christmas Eve dinner.  The best crab cakes you have ever eaten and home made french fries.  This year we're having cole slaw and asparagus wrapped in filo dough and some rolls.  I look forward to this meal every year.

Since the girls have been old enough to tell their left from their right, we have read a "left/right" story where you pass wrapped packages to the left or right as the story tells you to.  The adults love this game even more than the kids.  This year, I wrote the story myself, incorporating everyone into the story.  It's pretty funny!

Someone always gives a toast at our family gatherings.  The last few years, my brother has been doing it.  They are always meaningful and wonderful.  The girls get plastic champagne flutes filled with ginger ale.  No one is left out!

It is so difficult to get everyone together during the holidays and we have two birthdays too.  Chris's is December 30 and Trav's is December 31.  To make it easy for everyone, we always celebrate them after dinner.  Kera, the family baker, always takes care of the cakes and they are as beautiful as they are delicious. 

Well, I do have a few things to finish up befoe everyone arrives around 4:30. 

Merry Christmas to all!