Our Christmas Eve was much like every other Christmas Eve before and in truth, that’s the way I like it. In the run up to Christmas I find myself getting irritated as everyone asks “Are you ready?” when to be honest I never ever feel “ready” for the big day.
Once Christmas Eve arrives and we slip into the familiar routine of this special day then I relax and know it’s all going to be a wonderful couple of Christmas days no matter how “ready” we feel.
We always vow to not enter a shop on Christmas Eve, then remember the “one thing” we’ve forgot and have to brave the super busy supermarket aisles. When I worked full time outside of the house I always needed a 3am Supermarket jaunt to catch up with my Christmas shopping and I strangely missed not having to stay up and do this at all this year. As it was already Christmas Eve, Dave was sent in and I”m pleased to say he survived the experience!
Then we dropped off our presents to my mum’s house and also to Great Granny and Grampy’s house. We said goodbye in good spirits as we realised the next time we would see them it would actually be Christmas Day.
At home, we did some Christmas baking and craft. This year we made Nativity pictures and a Gingerbread House.
Dave and Danny began to put our Christmas Eve tea together. Danny also went over Nanny’s for a few hours to help prepare Christmas Dinner. He loves cooking and it’s lovely to see him growing up and helping in this way.
I took the girls to the the Crib Service which was the best one in many years. The weather was calm enough to allow the service to take place outside next to the stable again. For the past two years, it has been moved inside the Church due to bad storms.
My three girls and their cousin Cerys were all chosen to carry the three shepherds and the donkey into the stable. Caitlyn helped Isabelle as it was quite heavy for her to carry.
I get goosebumps standing with friends and family singing carols, listening to the Town Band and watching our children bring the characters and animals into the stable.
We went home and enjoyed a Christmas Eve Party Tea with Dave and Danny. Later, we sprinkled magic reindeer food in the garden to help Santa’s reindeers find their way and give them more energy. We didn’t make any ourselves this year as we had spare bags in our cabinet and Rebecca made some in Brownies and school. Even though Santa’s reindeers are magic, the food still needs to be edible as birds sometimes help themseles to it too!
Back inside and we opened up our Christmas Eve pyjamas, accompanied by a Lush “Christmas Eve” bath bomb too, of course!
Oh they smell so good and my kids have always slept well Christmas Eve night since using these too!
We read bedtime stories from Magical Christmas Stories and of course read The Night Before Christmas. This was also Rebecca’s Christmas play this year so she now knows it off by heart like me. She will forever more remind us of who read each verse every time we read this story!
For a change this year, the kids wanted to leave Santa milk instead of sherry or wine.
He still had his mince pie and a carrot for Rudolph, of course!
The kids all settled well in bed, except for Izzy. At three years old it was the first year that she is beginning to understand and she was a bit scared coming to bed knowing that Santa was coming. She was so sad that she stuck her bottom lip out in a cute pout but with extra sibling cuddles, we managed to get her to bed!
Once the kids were in bed, Dave and I relaxed and enjoyed a drink together before the magic began…
What are your Christmas Eve traditions?
xxx
