Our Christmas 2011

We had a pretty good Christmas this year.  Corey was able to be off on Christmas Eve, something that has been  hit and miss for the last 9 years because of his job.  This year, as the store manager, he was able to make the schedule so he could be off on Christmas Eve.  I really enjoy that because to me, the big part of the tradition happens on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Eve, we do a special family home evening where we read the Christmas story out of Luke 2 and either act it out or do a flannel board of it.  This year, Corey's aunt had sent us some cardstock cut-outs that had magnets on them so we used those to tell the Christmas story.  Then we all open an ornament.  The ornament on Christmas Eve tradition came from my side of the family.  They have kept up that tradition, so now, Corey and I get a joint ornament from my parents and all the kids get ornaments too.  However, I like to give ornaments on Christmas Eve also, so the kids each get TWO ornaments on Christmas Eve.  Corey's mom usually gives them an ornament for Christmas too, but she sends a package of various things and they are all wrapped together, so the kids will also open one on Christmas morning.  It has  made for a very uniquely decorated tree.  After the present-opening, we have hot chocolate and sometimes another treat.  Then it's off to bed for the kids!




On Christmas morning, they get up and then we wait for everyone to wake up.  We all go downstairs together.  The room with the tree is covered up with a sheet, so the kids can't see into it.  The stockings were laid out on the couch already for them.  I made  homemade goodies for the stockings this year--fudge, gingerbread men, and some other cookies.  They also get a little box of cereal in the stocking which they have for an early breakfast.

After stockings, we go into the room with the tree and open presents.  We hand out the gifts to each kid gets to open a present at the same time, but each kid only opens one present at a time.  It's more organized that way. 

The kids all got new church clothes.  Eliza got a new church dress and each of the boys got a new white shirt and tie.  Jonah got some new church clothes too, but they are too big so I don't know how often he'll be wearing them until he grows into them!  Church clothes for little boy babies were especially hard to find this year, so he ended up with a white polo shirt and some black corduroy pants is all.  I just bought the wrong size, thinking he was much bigger than he is!
 

Nana (Corey's mom) also sent pajamas this year.  We get new pajamas from her every 3-4 years, which is fun.  This was perfect timing, as just in recent months, the kids have outgrown or put holes in the last set of p.j.'s Nana made.