Christmas Eve

Christmas is finally upon us! What happened to December? It always gets to this point and I have a mixture of excitement for the day and sadness because it's almost over for another year. Today was a really nice day. The weather was "warm" for December (no snow though which was a bit of a Christmas bummer) and we were just able to spend the day as a family. We started our day by going out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. The rest of the day was spent at home. Jonas and I made cookies for Santa then we worked on a Christmas puzzle and made a fort (that he was going to sleep in but never actually did). The older kids decided to make a wooden puzzle game for Grumpy so Jeff, Jonas and I moved our puzzle and movie to the shop so we could all be together. I love that the kids are excited about making things and using the tools we have. (Grumpy loved his gift!) 

Once evening hit, we quickly set out our luminaries before going to Gma Penny's house for our Bethlehem dinner and Christmas Eve devotional. These are my favorite Christmas traditions. Every Christmas Eve night, I go outside after dark to take pictures of the luminaries. It is my quiet (but cold) time alone to reflect on what this holiday is all about. I love how our luminaries illuminate our little part of the neighborhood, but I love the symbolism even more. I want to direct Christ to my home. I want to welcome Him always. I know I don't always act in a manner that would please Him, but I'm trying. I try to create a home He would feel comfortable in. I try to be patient. I try to demonstrate love. I know I don't always succeed. I can only hope that He (and others) can see my efforts.

For our Bethlehem dinner, we researched foods found in the Bible and then created a smorgasbord of delicacies. I actually really enjoy this dinner. I like that it's not one big main course but rather a tasting of a bunch of different foods. 

Following dinner, we had a little Christmas Eve devotional. We read the account of Christ's birth from the Bible and share a story of the impact of His atonement. Danny played a Christmas song on the cello and we all sang a few Christmas hymns. After that, Gma Penny played a fun "right/left" game by retelling the Nativity story. Finally, we made our way home to set out milk and cookies for Santa. Jonas could hardly contain his excitement!