Do the Happy Dance, Yeah, Yeah!

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!

What's not to love about Christmas Eve?

Good food,
anticipation,
kids wild with joy.

Tradition:
for us,
church,
dinner
and then the making of large thermoses of hot chocolate.

We pile in the van
and head out to the Christmas Festival of Lights.
We drive through slowly,
exclaim over the animated light displays
and search for hidden letters to reveal
the scrambled mystery message.

We head home,
with everyone needing to pee from
the hot chocolate coursing through their veins.

After the required potty break,
the kids get to each unwrap a Christmas Eve gift.
This has traditionally been pajamas
but since the boys are insisting on sleeping in their underwear
these day,
they are each getting a fleece robe.
Kate's getting a pair of PJs.

No more matching Christmas PJs!
::::sniff!::::

The kids go up and get ready for bed,
then we reconvene in the family room
for the reading of the stories.

We read the story of Christ's birth,
the Night Before Christmas,
Santa Mouse (my personal favorite)
and the Polar Express (my other favorite, since high school).

We put out cookies for Santa, with milk
and a little piece of cheese for Santa Mouse.

Then it is time for children to go to bed
and Rob and I to start the late shift!

I realize how quickly the days are passing,
the years are flying by.
One child who is borderline on believing this year,
only one child left who buys it all: hook, line and sinker.

I think about Kate and realize there are only FIVE
Christmases left before she goes to college.

Enjoy your day,
enjoy your traditions.
Count your blessings
and Thank God for the gift of
his only child.

Merry Christmas!