Christmas Eve

This Christmas we attended a Family Service at our church on Christmas Eve. It was a great service, hearing the story of the birth of Jesus and singing songs as a family. (The kids were not real excited about having to come to church with us, rather than going to their classrooms - especially sean, but they made it through the 50 minute service and did a great job paying attention too).  I'm proud to teach my kids why we celebrate Christmas - although, the part of Christmas that they are most interested in is still the presents and the fascination of Santa Claus.  Which I think is fine for kids their age.  My kids know that Jesus was born on Christmas day, that it really is better to give than to recieve (even if they'd rather receive!!), and that the true star of christmas is Jesus.  It isn't important to everyone for their kids to understand the Christmas story, the significance of the birth of Jesus or that He is why we have this Holiday at all. But to me it is.

So after church we returned home and had a big Christmas Eve dinner (think scaled back Thanksgiving feast) -- complete though with Noodles made with lots of love from MeMaw.  Then we decorated sugar cookies as a family, sprinkled reindeer dust about the yard, left cookies out for Santa Claus and went to bed in hopes that he would leave gifts for the kids! 

Oh, and yes, we opened one Christmas gift each.. The girls got matching shirts that say "big sister" and "little sister" and Sean got a really awesome hockey sweatshirt.