On the 2nd Day of Christmas

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

I love Christmas Eve. There is still the anticipation of Christmas morning, but 'the' events have begun. We always attend a candle lighting service as a family, and this service brings me such peace. There are the great Christmas songs we sing, and the one candle light being passed throughout the attendees, symbolic of that first light and the worldwide impact He has made beginning in a manger, and then the good news that started with just a few loyal disciples. Christmas Eve is so peaceful. As a family, other small traditions include opening one gift.
(Max got his holiday ball, this is his very favorite toy, and it took months of looking at various Petsmarts to find one that currently had them in stock, it took another hour to get him to sit still long enough to take a picture.)
Everyone then comes over for sandwiches, chips and dip, very low key. We also have a great family recipe for iced sugar cookies (not shown, but definitely enjoyed this year thanks to Lois and Holly baking, icing, and sharing with us), and I served this year's project-tree cheesecakes. They were pretty good if I do say so myself.

We then pile into a car and go out and look at lights. I remember as a little girl as I listened to the Santa reports I was always worried we would not get home before Santa arrived at the house. Christmas Eve must be one of two times I willingly got into my bed before the wee hours of morning. When I was younger, I left milk and cookies, but when I got older my Mom made the suggestion that Santa might like Dr Pepper since he had so much milk at other houses. I began buying a 'special' glass bottled over the last ten years or so.

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