Hallie was asked to give a short testimony at her mission Christmas party just a week after arriving in New York. She shared her experience of growing up and performing the nativity story – complete with costumes – on Christmas eve. We haven’t dressed up and performed the Nativity the last couple years and after Hallie shared her experience of testifying to her mission we decided to act it out once again and send her the video so she could have a little piece of home with her on Christmas eve. I didn’t watch the video before sending it off to her but I’m sure it’s a work of art. And Hunter took his role as the donkey very seriously.
Our Christmas Eve traditions are going strong and we’re always so grateful to spend it with friends we call family. We’ve been together for so many years it would be weird to not spend Christmas eve with them!
It wasn’t until we took the traditional Christmas eve photo of all the kids that I noticed a Hallie sized hole in the picture. It was inevitable…kids grow up and life moves on…
But part of me still remembers them at this age – acting out the nativity together. Man, we had our hands full when all of our kids were young and yet we just powered through it together.
The chimes were introduced by our friends and it has become a highlight. I’m happy to report, each year we get a little better as the youngest ones are able to follow directions and stay on beat. Although they have learned how to strike the chimes much louder than ever before. It can be borderline spirited/annoying. 🙂 But it would be Christmas eve without them.
Hayride – minus the hay – to see the luminaries throughout the neighborhood. It was a warm one this year which meant coats were optional and no need for hot chocolate.
When we returned home the kids were excited to exchange their sibling gifts. This is my favorite time of opening presents. They’re excited to give. They’re excited to receive. There has been so much build up and secret shopping and wrapping. We open these on Christmas eve instead of Christmas so they don’t get lost in the excitement of other things. And it always delivers the best reactions.
And Hunter gets the MVP for all his homemade gifts – his woodworking class is really paying off. The boys each pick a sibling name to buy a gift for but Hunter surprised them with a gift for everyone.
And we closed out the evening finishing the movie Klaus that we started earlier and the traditional reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas. (Our favorite version is a pop-up book by Robert Sabuda.)
And to all a good night…
