Traditions / 2009 Christmas Eve and Morning

When our children were much younger we started a tradition of a candle light dinner on Christmas Eve. We always had home made lasagna, sparkling cider, soft music and attempted to have a really reverent atmosphere in the house. We tried to really concentrate on the true meaning of Christmas, Christ's birth. But I always say, we need to be adaptable as situations change. Time passed and we started adding more individuals to our family. One big change was Steve Stockard, who brought his own set of family traditions into ours. Now on Christmas Eve we have a party at their house. Yummy appetizers, pizza, games and of course the traditional Christmas eve jammies. It's always a fun and exciting night! Another change was that we have to share Kevin & Brandi and their children with the Romberg clan on Christmas Eve when they do the Grandma LaRae dinner and gift exchange.

Here with new jammies on we're ready for stories. I think we need to re-establish and incorperate the Nativity story being acted out again, like we did when our children were very small.

The Christmas stockings are always a big deal to me. I love to plan little surprises in them to be opened or dumped out last of all after the presents are all unwrapped. Gene thinks I'm silly but he humors me, we now fill 20 Christmas Stockings. They are all home made. The original six, still in the bunch. He always grumps at me because they don't have names on them, it's just something I never did. I know which one belongs to each individual family member. Now that we have so many I lable them each year, this time it was with blue painters tape.

Another tradition we have since Jess entered our family, is that she and Julie help me with this last minute job, on Christmas Eve. This year I was a little worried about having to do it all by my self since Julie and Dustin moved and she wouldn't be here and because I didn't think Greg and Jess were coming. I love this tradition that Jess and I have established together. She's a sweetheart and adds so much to our family.

Another tradition that has taken on a life of it's own, is Christmas morning breakfast. When Gene was growing up their family's tradition was to walk into the living room, past the Christmas tree and Santa's treasures and go into the kitchen for a hot breakfast. The Haws family went straight to the gifts and had a free for all, then whoever wanted to, got the rare treat of cold cereal. When our children were small we always had the mostly forbidden sugary coated cold cereal on the table for breakfast, too.

Somehow the new tradition of a great big breakfast on Christmas morning got started. I think Steve had a little to do with that one too.

After their own presents at home the kids all gather here around 9 a.m. for breakfast. Grandpa and Grandma Wilson join us too and even Uncle John joined us this year.

So now it's Bacon, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs with Pepper Jack Cheese, Sausage gravy and Biscuts and Orange Juice or Milk. Talk about a high calorie meal. I try to stay busy in the kitchen and not even make a plate. There's usually no leftovers, especially of the biscuts and gravy.

Then it's on to the gifts. It's a beautiful morning and we're never done before 11:30 or 12. It's a special time to all be together.