Family traditions!

With me going back to work, it's kind of been a whirlwind of a Christmas season! Some of our traditions have been put on the wayside, but we aren't giving them all up and we are even going to add a few new ones! Anyway..I just thought I would share with you what we like to do:

* Christmas eve we have homemade clam chowder with breadsticks. Shule's family growing up has always done this and is something that we have carried on. Two years ago we started the tradition of eating by candlelight. All the lights in the house go off, including the tree, because it's too bright and we enjoy our clam chowder, and martinelli's by candlelight. The kids love it and it makes it more intimate and special for them.

* Christmas eve we open up jammies for everyone. They don't match, but it's always fun getting into new jammies for Christmas morning. I usually leave it up to Shule to buy me pajamas and he never does, so this year I bought my own and gave them to him to wrap for me! :)

* The last couple of years we have had the kids draw names with each other, and they get to open that gift. We go shopping as a family and split up so that no one will see the gift that the other person bought. It's fun and exciting and the kids love going to find something for their siblings!

* As a youth my family started a tradition of eating donuts and drinking hot chocolate right before we went to bed. That's a tradition that we have kept going and the kids love it. We've added to it Shule's family tradition of reading Twas the Night Before Christmas! It doesn't get read except for that night!

* We normally go out a few times during the holidays and look at Christmas lights, well with me working most nights, we haven't gotten around to it yet. So, tomorrow we decided that we would go drive around for an hour or so and look at them just after dinner!

* The kids get to have a special sleepover with each other on Christmas Eve. They look forward to that every holiday when someone special comes!

* We read the nativity or we watch a video about it. The kids seem to do better with videos at their age. We have also started watching Mr. Kruegers Christmas! If you haven't seen it, you should.

* Christmas morning we get up and open presents and then eat orange rolls, orange juice and eggnog. We then get ready and head over to my mom and dad's for festivities over there!

Well, I can't think of any more right now! I'm sure there are other things that we have done every year but my brain is tired of thinking! :)

We sure hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

Santa visited us early today as a large package of gifts was left at our door by a secret santa! Thanks to whomever you are! We love you!! We have been truely blessed by our Savior! We feel his love daily! Godbless you all and Merry Christmas!