Christmas Eve Fun

While our children were growing up, we developed several traditions that helped make this very exciting day before Christmas a special one.  It was a day for making cookies, decorating houses we created out of graham crackers, last minute wrapping of gifts we'd been storing in our bedrooms for that magical moment when after dinner and church they would be brought out and put under the tree while we listened to Christmas Carols and enjoyed punch and some of our cookie creations.  Each of our children have adopted one or several of those traditions and made them part of their celebrations in their families.

So it was that today we found our selves creating graham cracker houses, decorating cookies, and enjoying a special worship service followed by a special dinner with Christmas Carols supplying the musical background.  Most of the gifts were already under the tree but they've added the fun of opening one gift which is always brand new Christmas PJs before setting out cookies and a note for Santa and then crawling into bed.

Janet took on the job of cutting the graham crackers into the shapes needed to complete the houses. This takes great patience and a brand new box of crackers as many often break in the process of cutting but she was successful.  She then whipped up the icing "glue" needed to build them.

 Meanwhile the kids had the fun of opening all kinds of candies they would use to make their creations.  That, of course, leads to a sugar high but then it is a special day.

I helped her "glue" the houses together

and then the kids were off and running each coming up with their own special creations attempting to use as many different kinds of candy as they could possibly come up with.

 Janet had the fun of making Karsten's house while he took a nap.

Several games of Candyland were a perfect activity to prepare for this adventure.  Each of us, Dagny, Anders and I had a chance to win at least one game while visions of sweets danced in their heads.

Following a quick run to the shopping mall for a last minute gift at one of the shops, Janet, Ken and I returned to get shaped cookies baked and ready for decorating prior to dressing up for our trip to church.  When we returned, we had to take the "required" family pictures under the tree,

and then changed back into play clothes to finish the job of decorating cookies using all kinds and colors of icing and sprinkles.

Meanwhile Jack was busy preparing steak, baked potatoes, and asparagus for our festive meal.  Janet had recorded all of her favorite Christmas Carols on her IPod so it was attached to speakers and we had some great background music to accompany our meal.

The kids then enjoyed opening the packages and slipping into their brand new PJs,

picking out the cookies to leave for Santa and writing a note to him before crawling into bed for a good nights sleep.

Then, of course, "Santa" had to go to work filling stockings and setting out a special unwrapped gift from him before the adults could settle down for a night of rest as well.