Christmas 2009: Christmas Eve

We continued the tradition of the theme based Christmas Eve this year. "Little House" was the theme we chose. And, once again, Christmas Eve was my favorite experience of the season.

To keep Laura entertained throughout the cooking earlier in the day, I gave her a stack of paper and cookie cutters. She made wonderful place settings out of them. My parents gushed over them as well as Jason and I and she was deservedly proud.

Dinner is typically the best part of the "theme", and it was again. We ground the wheat and made homemade rolls to go along with our turkey, mashed potatoes and beans. The rolls were definitely the highlight of the entire meal.

We then strung some popcorn. I learned that it is all about a small needle and patience. So, well, we didn't string too much. But, it was fun to try and the little string turned out really pretty.

I was surprised to discover that the thing the girls were looking to the very most was the nativity. It was definitely the highlight of the night - yes, I cried. Though, we have now tasted the beginnings of role sharing issues. Yep, we had two Marys briefly.

Laura "Great With Child" and riding the donkey
(thankfully, not Daddy Donkey this year)

Sara taking a turn as Mary

The real nativity scene with a live (though fat and not amenable to swaddling) baby Jesus, a Shepherd, and Joseph and Mary

A multitude of the heavenly host

We sang "Happy Birthday" to baby Jesus over buttermilk pie (oh so delicious) because I just couldn't stomach the thought of vinegar pie. We were also intending to do Maple Candy on Snow from Maple Syrup (Karyn the Vermont native gave us wonderful instructions) and to have apple pie, but we were all so stuffed that we just couldn't do it.

Laura arranged a plate for Santa and was particularly thoughtful this year. She decided Santa would've had enough sweets, so she left him a roll to go with his eggnog. The reindeer were left extra apple slices from dinner as variety to the traditional carrots. At this point in the night she was REALLY wound up. 6 yrs old is a magical age for Christmas. But, the girls all went to sleep beautifully.

My parents spoiled us with presents. The girls have loved their gifts (Sara wears her apron daily and Laura rearranges her snowglobes nearly as often), ornaments (totally personalized, thoughtful and fun) and really loved helping grandma and grandpa open the presents in their stockings. And, I have ADORED the exercise bike they got for Jason and I. (More on that later.)