The 8th Day of Christmas: Traditional Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve celebrations actually begin on December 23rd typically.  Since Ryan and I have been together, we have done his family Christmas on Christmas Eve.  This actually works out really well because every Christmas we have is on a different day, which means only 1 turkey dinner each day and we really get to enjoy the family that we are spending time with that day, without having to worry about heading to a different house.

So back to December 23rd.  My church holds a Christmas Eve service on that day (as well as 3 on Christmas eve), so generally we try to make it to that service.  This church service is a production.  With lots of music and performances, a bit of a sermon and it ends with some carolling.  As this is obviously the reason for the season, this service is very important to me and I would never miss my Christmas Eve service!

Then Christmas Eve we head over to Ryan's parents house some time in the afternoon.  It's just the 6 of us there (plus one German Shepherd and one cat who hates the German Shepherd).  We try to get out for a family walk.  We eat a nice dinner.  We open our gifts.  And the most important tradition of all, we watch Garfield Christmas and we laugh.  Garfield never gets old!

When making snow angels, watch out for mitten grabbing dogs

I have been a part of this family for almost 5 years now, but it kind of feels like I have been doing this forever.  Compared to the next two days of Christmas, this day is just calm and relaxing.  Not that I would trade in the madness that is the remainder of my family Christmas', but it's nice to have a bit of both.

Oh but then we usually join in on the madness anyways.  My family all gets together on Christmas Eve, as they have done every year since I was little.  We usually head to that party for about an hour or so before we go home and wait for Santa.