Christmas Eve

Years ago, when we were first married, Trevor and I went to a friends house on Christmas Eve day for a visit. I was amazed at all the hustle and bustle that was going on in preparation for their big Christmas Eve dinner party. I vividly remember her dumping out tiny red jello molds onto plates of deep green lettuce. I had never seen anything like it and I knew I wanted to do it. I wanted to host a party every year for our families that everyone would look forward to, that would become a tradition, with jello molds and everything.

We have now been hosting Christmas Eve dinner for about 12 years. It is an open invitation. We don't want anyone to feel pressure. We just want everyone to feel that they always have a place to go. Some years are bigger than others. Some are smaller and more quaint. All are memorable. We feel so blessed that our families are so close. So close in fact, that they all consider each other family. It is a unique situation. My kids hardly differentiate between the two families, they are kind of like one. How did we get so lucky?

We eat and eat and enjoy being together.

The kids table is always fun...and usually a little messy.

We play games, sing carols, tell stories, and play musical instruments. (Well, some of us do.)

And we always end on a spiritual note. We focus on the true meaning of Christmas. When everyone leaves our hearts are happy and full and filled with the Christmas spirit. I want my children's lives and memories of Christmas to be about family. About cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles all piling into our house to be together and to celebrate- it is something I never had with the very small family I come from, and I am grateful every day that my children have such a big wonderful family! Very grateful indeed!