Christmas Eve

Traditionally we spend Christmas Eve with the Jacksons.  We eat a ham dinner and soup in bread bowls. The kids dress up in costumes and act out the Nativity while Luke 2 is read. 

Since we were miles away from Provo, we had to come up with our own plan.  We had a steak dinner and a mini-Christmas program presented by the kids. 

After the girls recited their Christmas poems and sang their songs from preschool, the boys played their Christmas piano pieces.

Zach did his best to help them play and add a few extra notes.  Josh played Jingle Bells.  Matt played Over the River and Through the Woods.  Trey played Carol of the Bells and we all had a laugh when his 12 Days of Christmas song went on and on.  When we finally said we loved it, but we had heard enough. We discovered he was only on day seven.  A long song indeed!

We opened our gift for our Savior and took turns reading aloud the acts of service the kids performed for others over the month of December.

Josh had added LOTS of slips of paper.  Every worked very hard on being kind and helpful over the Christmas season.

We read Luke 2.

We put out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for Rudolph.

Now it was time they were off to bed, to dream of sugar plums, Barbie townhouses, Lego sets, Wii games and a magical Christmas morning to come.