Christmas Eve

This Christmas was going to be different. Scott has family here so we usually stay close to home and spend most of the time with them.
This year they were all going to be away so it was really our first experience doing our own thing. My parents decided to join us this year and I was excited to get some traditions in place with our little family. Scott and I gathered our ideas and decided on some fun and special things. I don't know if they will last, but we have begun!
In November I was visiting teaching my friend who was sharing one of her family traditions of dressing up and acting out the Nativity. She was saying how she keeps intending to invest a little more in simple costumes or props but never gets to it....so I had a little idea enter my head to make that for her as a Christmas gift. I knew people did this but never considered us doing it, and as I gathered everything for her I ended up doing double and making a set of costumes for us to try it out. As you can see, they are very simple, no-sew costumes compiled of fabric robes, belts, sashes and tinsel. I so enjoyed presenting this to her as well. Christmas giving is marvy!
So back to our Christmas Eve.... after dinner we gathered to get into costume and read the story. It was quiet and sweet and the kids liked it. Don't know how long that will last. I think it will be funny to see who wants to be the wise man...just look at that robe Scott has on- who wouldn't want to wear that? It's like the Missoni of Ancient Times! Sadie was a perfect Angel (only in character. Please.), Elliet a sweet Mary and Luke was a piece of Shepherd candy I wanted to eat up.


Next it was time for Christmas Eve PJ's, cookies out for Santa and off to bed.
Earlier in December my parents passed through from CA and while here, joined us on a trip to Costco. My Dad joked with Elliet as we put a clamshell of tomatoes in the cart that it was her present. He was going to give her "Christmas Tomatoes" for Christmas. Elliet hates tomatoes so she laughingly protested. It became a joke between them the rest of that day. Well, Elliet in all her cleverness told me later that she wanted to box up some tomatoes and put them under the tree for Papa. I just laughed at the idea and of course we did it. The kids wanted to do this Christmas Eve, so these pics are the sequence of that. I loved the expressions in each photo so I had to include each one. I don't think this is the end of this joke in our family. :)
The rest of the night was so nice. We were done with 'everything' by 8:30 and relaxed with each other until bedtime. Nice!