Christmas Eve Traditions

This Christmas Eve has probably been one of my favorites.
We don't have too many expectations for the day. We just like to spend time together as a family. For several years we used to go to the mall in the afternoon just to look around and hang out together. When Justin was little we would go to the mall and it would be empty. That changed a lot in the last couple of years and we would go and it would be so crazy and packed and it wasn't as much fun.
So the last 2 years we went sledding on the hill behind our house and that was a lot of fun. This year the weather didn't really cooperate - there was snow but not a lot and by the afternoon the hill was pretty beat up.
Justin suggested that our tradition should be to do something different every year. Paul said our tradition should be to do whatever we want to do.
This afternoon we frosted sugar cookies and built a gingerbread house from a kit. Everyone got in on the fun.

Best buddies

What a cute little elf.

Our neighbor gave Jared and Kamryn their cute little elf hats.

Kamryn working hard on decorating her cookie.

Justin had the job of decorating the ginger-people.

Brooke and Taylor working on the house.

The cutest elves you ever did see!

Kamryn - my pretty little elf.

All of our kids with my dad and his mother on our couch ready to watch

Mr Krueger's Christmas.

For several years we have been having dinner at our house on Christmas Eve.
I copied a tradition from my friend Cynthia to have pizza and keep things simple. It is the greatest idea. My parents usually join us and for the last couple of years they have brought my grandma too. Its great to have them with us. Paul's parents usually are with us too but this year they were not feeling good enough to come up.

After dinner we like to do something to help us remember the real reason for this season. This year we all watched Mr Krueger's Christmas. Paul and I both really love that show but the kids have a hard time because it seems so old to them. Its classic to us. My parents and grandma hadn't seen it for a long time and really enjoyed it.

After the show it was time for presents.

My parents go visit each of their children and give out their presents at their house. Since we live right by them, they join us on Christmas Eve and then go to the rest of my siblings' homes on Christmas Day.

Justin, Taylor and Brooke ready to open the traditional Christmas Eve present.

This year the jammie presents were half and half -

Jared and Kamryn and Justin all liked theirs.

Taylor didn't like his and put on last years pair of pants.

Brooke's didn't fit. Then I had her open the pair of jammie pants I made and they didn't fit either. Big bummer. She was a good sport about it.

To end the night we watched the Nativity video and Jared and Kamryn put out cookies for Santa.