Christmas Eve

Christmas in our family is anything but calm and serene.  It involves late nights and too many gifts. 

Christmas Eve morning we did gifts with all the children. Each child gets 3 gifts under the tree.

For Josh, tool kit, bible study, and The Screwtape Letters. For Natalie, an art easel kit, bible study, and a "new" jacket. For Autumn, a deluxe art set, bible study, and a "new jacket. 

For Maggie, an RC Sproul child's book, The Barber who Wanted to pray, Passion Hymns for a Kid's Heart, and new pajamas. For Emma, an RC Sproul children's book, The King without a Shadow, Christmas Hymns for a Kid's Heart, and a new pajamas. For Zion, a new workbench and 5 matchbox cars and carrier bought at a yard sale during the summer. And a joint gift of the Winnie the Pooh movie. 

Each child got a goodie bag with a Pepsi, Little Debbie Tree, fruit roll, gum, marshmallow rope, a chocolate snowman, and a glow stick. 

The children all enjoyed the junk while watching Winnie the Pooh. Most of it my children didn't eat. : )

We made the adorable mice treats to take to Jeremy's parents Christmas Eve night. 

After a lunch of fried chicken strips, rice, and green beans everyone except Mama took a nap. We then freshened up a bit and loaded the big green van to head to Jeremy's grandparents where there would be finger foods and LOTS of relatives. We left about 4:15 and got there about 5. 

It's always a crazy time with lots of loud people and general chaos. For the most part my children don't handle the confusion well so it's not something I look forward to. : ) After eating and getting one gift a piece from their great-grandparents we loaded in the van again around 8 and made the 45 minute drive to Jeremy's parents. 

At Jeremy's parents there is lots of gift exchanging which takes a good 2 hours or more. This year the gifts were over the top and next year we are looking at possibly completely pulling out of the tradition family Christmas in order to try to limit the materialistness of Christmas and try to regain the focus of Christ's birth. 

After completing the gift exchange at Jeremy's parents around 11PM we had a 45 minute drive down country back roads and over a mountain to meet Jeremy's ex wife to drop off his children so they could spend Christmas with her and their family on that side. Last year we spent the night in a camper in the driveway of Jeremy's parents. This year we stayed in a hotel in the town of the drop off.