Christmas 2018: Christmas Eve Adventures

Christmas Eve came quickly for the adults, and less quickly, I suspect, for the kids.

I was up early and working on the computer when Cambria joined me in the living room.

She worked her way through all the stockings ( twenty-two were hanging)

and then pulled out the one she thought was hers.

The day was spent with people doing some final wrapping of gifts, among other things.

Trinity wrapped all of Jessica's for her and many of her parents' gifts - it took her most of the day!

I made a cherry pie

and then Trinity made a second cherry pie under my watchful eye. (It was delicious!)

 Kate decided to put on an apron and help us, too!

During the afternoon the kids and their children decorated cookies for Santa (that's a separate blog post) and then we had  Arni's pizza and salad for dinner.

Curt and Vanessa began a new tradition two years ago with a nativity play that includes all the grandchildren.

This year Lukas was a cute sheep in a little sheepskin vest.

And he kept escaping! We needed a shepherd!

Oh, there she is! And a cute one at that!

Mary (who campaigned for the position a month or so in advance.)

An angel (typecasting, for sure!)

Mary was joined by a wise man.

Joseph, who was a very good sport since he was so much older than the rest of the nativity cast.

And another angel, also a good sport, and wearing my wedding veil for a costume.

The cow had spots!

 Susie was going to be Baby Jesus, but she fell asleep so a doll was used.

The sheep escaped again

but luckily Aunt Lisa was able to bring him back into the fold.

We tried to get the cast together at the end for a photo

but the sheep escaped yet again.

It took a couple of pictures to finally get

a good one!

Then the doorbell rang (thanks, JC!!) and the kids all ran to the door.

They knew what that ringing bell meant!

The pajama elf had arrived!

Trinity handed out the packages to her excited cousins while her mom, aunts and uncles, and grandparents snapped photos.

There was a flurry of opening and kids putting on their new pajamas then and there.

Look! The sheep is still corralled!

Mr. Pajama Elf/Joseph/Good Sport JC got new pajamas, too.

As we lined up the kids for a new-pj picture, I noticed a family member had been added in the back.

Sweet Molly was peeking out over Trinity's shoulder! And Ian, who was too tall for his new jammies, kept trying to adjust the neck on them as they were cutting into his shoulder.

Eventually Vanessa simply cut the feet out of them to release the pressure and he was much happier.

Just as my mother read The Night Before Christmas to us, I am always asked to read it to my family.

I cannot read it without thinking of my mother.

Book done, it was time to put out cookies for Santa and then the kids scurried off to bed! For the first time since Sarah was born in 1977, I did not put any gifts out. I fell into bed exhausted, and my family did it for me. I did get up early in the morning, check things, and put some candy into stockings, though.

What a day! But it would turn out to be nothing compared to the busy-ness of Christmas Day itself.