Christmas Eve!

Finally! The days Jonas has been anticipating all month are FINALLY HERE! It is so much fun to watch his joy and excitement. He truly helps to bring magic to this season. I love that he believes...not only in Santa but also in Christ. I love that we can intermix the whimsical traditions with the religious ones, but tonight is always my favorite. I think I love Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day. Christmas Day seems to come and go in a flurry of wrapping paper, but Christmas Eve allows me time to reflect on the true meaning of the season. 

After notifying the boys of their "uncle"status (see previous post), Jonas and I found Jingle (our elf) in the kitchen with Santa's favorite cookie recipe. We quickly made the cookies in preparation for that evening, before Jonas ran downstairs to help Danny create their Christmas Eve fort.

The rest of the day, we kept busy with puzzles, games, and fun while we waited for our evening to start.

Finally, the evening arrived. We started the night by lining our property with 144 luminaries. It seems a little ridiculous to brave the cold (and it was cold that night even without the snow) to continue this tradition, but I love it! This is definitely a more "southwest" tradition with warmer weather, but its symbolism is worth braving the cold. I love the thought of lighting the way for the Savior to enter our home. I hope I can always create a welcoming environment for Him. I know I definitely fall short at times. I know there are moments when my voice is louder or more frustrated than it needs to be. I know there are choices made by all that perhaps we wouldn't make if He were standing here, but we try to be better...and I think He sees that.

After setting out the luminaries, we gathered inside for our Bethlehem dinner and devotional. Obviously, the food we prepare isn't exactly what would have been eaten during Christ's time, especially not all at once, but we try to set out only foods that can be found in the Bible. It's actually one of my favorite meals of the year (maybe even more than Thanksgiving!). This year I even made an olive oil cake (that will definitely be a part of future Bethlehem dinners). I love that we get to gather at one table in candlelight. I feel like it starts to set the mood for the following devotional.

After dinner, we moved to the living room to share stories and thoughts about Christ. Again, this is my favorite moment of our Christmas celebrations. This is a moment when we get to truly focus on the real meaning of Christmas. We read Luke 2. We contemplate all the characters in the story. We make them come to life as we contemplate their thoughts and feelings. We consider the symbols of his birth that we can find in the symbols of Christmas. We simply pause.

Once the pause ended, we laughed, played, and stayed up as long as we could to wait for Santa, but I kept trying to find moments to pause. I would walk outside in the frigid night to see the luminaries. I would pause again as I remembered Him. This is the night He was born. He is the peace we seek. He is the hope we yearn for. He is the reason for the season.