Christmas Eve

We alternate where we spend Christmas Eve/Christmas Day each year between Kurt's family and mine. It's very, very important to us that we're with family on these days. I know some people choose to emphasize their own family unit, and that's great too, but it's just how we were raised. I grew up traveling every year to my grandparents' house in Arkansas, so I NEVER woke up on Christmas at my house. My parents would just choose a day and that would be our Christmas. It never phased us, because it's all we knew. That's how Kurt and I now do Christmas. Everyone is different, but when we think of Christmas, it involves extended family.

Since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, we did our presents on Christmas Eve morning (Saturday). This is another thing that was non-negotiable to us. It wasn't even a question if we'd go to church on Christmas morning. The whole reason we have Christmas is because of God sending Jesus, and what better way to celebrate Christmas than to worship corporately with our church? It's funny, because we tend to do our family Christmas on a random day every year, so this year was no different. We just are not hardcore "IT HAS TO BE CHRISTMAS DAY" people. I'm going to do a post about how we want to establish traditions each year because we alternate locations. So that's coming. :)

Christmas Eve morning we woke up with the kids and came downstairs to do presents! I've shared this before, but Santa only fills stockings at our house. I'll add that in to the post I'm already working on about traditions, but this year confirmed why we do it that way - it was a HUGE moment when Evy kept telling us "thank you" for her gifts.

Here are are, opening presents! Evy got a Cinderella Castle playset, an Ariel dress, and a Disney song player with headphones. In her stocking, she got two DVD's and a Minnie's "Bowtique" playset. Liam got a workshop, a little hammer/ball toy, and a Pororo play cell phone that we bought in Korea (Pororo is like the Mickey Mouse of Korea). In his stocking, he got Toy Story plush toys and a DVD. :)

After presents, we had cinnamon rolls and bacon. Simple but so good!

Later that evening, we had our Christmas Eve service. It's one of my VERY favorite things about Christmas when we're here in town. I just love it. My dad told the Christmas story to the kids:

 I love this picture of my sister and Bitty:

The candlelight part of the service is in my top five moments of the holiday season. I feel complete peace wash over me and it's the most serene feeling. I feel a huge connection with my church family. Everyone is reflective and worshipful. And I know that across the country (and perhaps the world), other churches are doing the exact same thing: lighting candles and singing "Silent Night."

After the beautiful service, my family went to an open house that a family in our church hosts each year. We look forward to making this a tradition on the years that we're here in town! We had such a wonderful time being with other families on Christmas Eve.

It was the perfect Christmas Eve!