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Christmas Eve 2007

Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Each Christmas Eve we have done the same thing since we have been a family. We go to the Children's Mass at our church at four in the afternoon. We always arrive at church about an hour early to get a seat. This year we sat right in front of another family who had adopted from China. Their daughter was a year older than Kate and from the same province. They just moved to our town and it was wonderful meeting them. Kate was squirmy and toddlery during Mass but it could have been worse. They cranked the air conditioning and I was freezing. My whole body was shaking. All of a sudden I felt blanketed in warmth. A kind, elderly gentlemen behind me (the little Chinese girl's Grandpa) had placed his thick wool cardigan around my shoulders. It was such a kind and chivalrous gesture. I was very thankful.



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The three peanuts before mass.

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After mass, we always go to a local place for pizza. I know it doesn't sound like a traditional Christmas Eve dinner but it is to us. I cook a big breakfast and a big dinner on Christmas day. And since we leave for church at 2:45 in the afternoon it is difficult to cook Christmas dinner. Our whole family loves pizza and we do not eat it often because of food sensitivities. So it is our special Christmas Eve treat.

After dinner, we drive around looking at the decorated houses and Christmas lights. Kate liked the first few houses and then she fell asleep.

When we get home, everyone bathes and puts on their Christmas PJ's. The boys each open their nutcracker. Kate opened a bracelet this year. In the future, she will open her special ornament from me but this years was very fragile and already on the tree.



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Harry got this nutcrakcer because he was very interested in Army men and toys and everything camoflauge.

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I searched high and low for a nutcracker with a hedgehog becuase Will is obsessed with hedgehogs this year. But I had no such luck. Will is also very interested in cooking and wants to be a chef. He loves cheeseburgers. So, this nutcracker seemed perfect for him.

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Will helping Kate open her gift.


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I bought Kate a pearl bracelet with a silver heart. She loves to wear bracelets.


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Next we hang the stockings. We hang them on the stair railing. Our fireplace is stone and not easy to hang stockings on. PLUS...I really fill them. We had stocking hangers one year but they could not handle the weight. We did not have 5 stockings this year that matched. I could not find new ones that I loved so Dave used his Dad's old one and Scout is using Dave's childhood stocking. I have a year to find 6 new matching stockings.

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Daddy helping Kate hang her stocking.


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She is really concentrating in this one:)
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Harry looks like he was being ornery here but really he was making us laugh!

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Will is hanging Scout's stocking while Kate watches.








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Kate is opening stickers that her bloggy friend, Kamree sent her. Thank you so much! As you can see, Kate LOVES them.


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The peanuts have a little friendly wrestle before we read our stories.


Finally, we read Twas the night before Christmas and the story of Jesus' birth. Kate did not sit still for the stories at all! She was climbing all over me and the book and getting down and then begging to get back up on the couch. Even though she was a little restless, it was wonderful to share all of our Christmas Eve traditions with Kate.
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Kate wiggled around and sat right on top of the book while I was reading. She even ripped it a little. We were all laughing though.


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Having listened long enough...she decided to go look at the tree.


I know this post is long and detailed but I do not want to forget one single minute of this very special Christmas! I will try to get the Christmas morning photos up soon. With 3 peanuts at home and all these fun new things to do...I am not on the computer as much.

27 comments:

  1. I cant belive how on the ball you are with posting. I have not even thought about it yet.

    What fun traditions. I love your pizza tradition-- how fun. I see that you got some new pajamas and I love the kids matching ones. I tried to find mathing ones but because my boy are so huge and Mia is so tiny, you cant even find stores that make clothes for all 3 kids. Anyway, what fun and I look forward to seeing your Christmas morning pictures.

    Christy :)

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  2. What a wonderful Christmas Eve!!!!
    We are heading north, so I will try to post from up there! I got a new computer!!!from Santa Jeff:) So, lots of pics to download and get organized! Ruby and Kate had matching bows for Christmas! More later!
    Merry Merry!
    Diana

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  3. Oh, Kim.... I don't know where to start... First I love your family... you are beautiful, sweet and oh, so loving. The story of the older gentleman who placed his sweater around you touched my heart deeply. It was just so sweet. All of your Christmas Eve traditions are so special... it is how it should be, right down to the pizza. The kids are so darling in their matching pajamies. The pictures are so filled with joy. I could look at their sweet, smiling faces all day. The black and white photo of
    Will and Kate was so beautiful it took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes...what a treasure that shot is.
    We got your card, I love it! Thank you so much. I just can't wait for our Hilton Head reunion. We want to take Nicholas on a surprise road trip to the snow for his birthday. Who knows, we may have to drive all the way to VA to find some. lol

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  4. Hi there. I found your blog a few weeks ago and have read it almost every day so far. I have to say that I love that you have such wonderful traditions with your family and you make it a point to do them every year.

    Growing up we really never had any traditions that we did except opening one gift on Christmas eve and everything else on Christmas morning. This holiday season I really wanted to start a holiday tradition with my family but because of unforeseen circumstances never had the chance.

    I just wanted to say that reading your Christmas past posts have really inspired me to start doing these traditions because it's the memories that will be remembered. Thank you for sharing and for the inspiration.

    Happy Holidays & Happy New year to you and your family.

    ~Christel

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  5. What a nice post! You have some wonderful Christmas traditions! Thanks for sharing! :)

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  6. I am SOOOOOOO HAPPY for you and the wonderful Christmas memories you have developed with your 1st Christmas since Kate joined your family!!!! I love the traditions, they are always something special and unique to each family and the ability to look forward to something special is an added bonus!!!

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  7. What wonderful family traditions.. I love the pizza one. We had pizza on Christmas Eve as well but it was because I forgot to set anything out to cook for after services. We were very lucky to find one place still open.

    I love that fact that there are still gentlemen around! How very sweet of that man to give you his jacket. I know many women who would be offended by that gesture but honestly.. I think it's lovely!

    Can't wait to see your Christmas day photos

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  8. I just love reading about other families' holiday traditions... Hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your 3 peanuts.

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  9. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. All the pictures are adorable.

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  10. I love that the kind gentleman saw you shivering, how sweet.

    Caitlyn is the same way about reading stories unless its Goodnight Moon or Bedtime for Tiger.

    Love Kate's bracelet.

    Love the pizza tradition. I think that is what makes Christmas special for each of our families. Creating a unique special tradition of our own that brings a smile to our children's faces when they are grown and thinking back of fond memories.

    oh, loved Kate's concentration face :) and her I love stickers face too. :)
    The boys look marvelous with their nutcrackers. What a wonderful idea.
    Have fun with your Peanut's this week!

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  11. I couldn't wait to see your Christmas 2007 post. I knew that the pictures of the boys and Kate would be great!! Brady gets a nutcracker every year to that goes with what he is doing that year and loves it. I really like to see another family doing traditions, we have some that we have done since we have been a family and this year they were published in the local paper. That was fun to see. By the way I love Daves green sweater that is my favorite color. Its too warm here in SC to wear sweaters but its getting a little cooler. Have a great week.

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  12. what a wonderful first christmas with precious miss kate....i love the joy in each of their sweet faces
    merry christmas friend
    xo

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  13. I love it and all of your family traditions. Your children will love telling their children someday! You are a GREAT Mom! ;) The B&W picture of Will and Kate was breath taking!

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  14. Heartwarming.

    My favorite parts:

    Chivalrous gentleman (perhaps an angel in disguise);

    Traditions;

    The beautiful black and white picture; and

    Your new P.J.'S (no more red & black checks?)

    ;)

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  15. P.S.

    You may want to check here...

    www.horchow.com

    for your stockings...exquisite things can be found there.

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  16. Beautiful....

    I love Christmas Eve more than anything. Your traditions are alot like ours.

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  17. Adorable pictures, Kim. The 3 peanuts look soooo cute in their matching PJs and your new PJs are pretty snazzy too! I love all of your traditions but I think the pizza is my favorite!

    I am glad Kate liked her stickers from Kamree.

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  18. How very lovely :D I don't blame you for wanting to write every bit of it down
    Ladybug hugs,
    ;D

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  19. Oh Kim - it all looks so fun...so glad everyone is enjoying the festivities.

    Enjoy ringing in 2008!
    Heather

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  20. Oh I love traditions! Thanks for sharing your Christmas Eve traditions and pictures. What a wonderful first Christmas for Miss Kate. Can't wait to see the pictures from Christmas day.

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  21. What a magical Christmas Eve! I love the nutcrackers!

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  22. I just love your posts...it's so fun to read about your family, your traditions, and all the goings on! Do you feel like you are always taking photos? I do and they don't look like yours!

    Keep posting and Happy New Year!

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  23. Oh I loved this post. I love seeing pics of your precious family. I am also a big fan or traditions too. There is something so special about traditions. I give Mallory an ornament every year as well. By the time she gets married (which I hope is a VERY VERY VERY long time...haha) she will have enough ornaments to decorate her tree. I love the matching pj's. Mal and I matched this year as well. Where did you find your cute pj's?
    I also love the fact that the sweet gentleman came to your rescue and saw that you were cold. So sweet. Have a blessed New Year!

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  24. Where do you get your nutcrackers? That seems like such a neat thing to collect.

    Leslie in Tn.
    holtzoieli@yahoo.com

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  25. Leslie,

    I get the nutcrackers all diffferent places. Some have come from Target (the Army man) and some are the schmancy German type (the entomologist) that I have ordered on-line. I think about their interests that year and begin looking everywehre (Department stores, Target, World Market. TJ Maxx and Marshall's, Tuesday Morning and on-line) to find the perfect ones.

    Adele-
    The kids matching pajamas came from the Gap

    Kim

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  26. Kim, great job getting your posts up before the rest of us who dont have toddlers running around!! :) Your Christmas eve looked and sounded wonderful. I too, love all the traditions that we all have and share with our children.

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  27. Looks like so much fun! Great traditions!

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