I Love Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we stay home with just our little family.  We cook a nice meal—this year it was prime rib—and set a beautiful table.  We dress for dinner in our nicest clothes, open Christmas crackers, and then eat.  Afterwards, we open pajamas, get dressed in them and head downstairs to share Gifts from the Heart around the Christmas tree.  We’ve been doing Gifts from the Heart for almost a decade now.  Each family member gives a gift to another family member—anything in the world they want to give—the only catch is that it can’t cost any money; instead of coming from the store, it has to come from the heart.   We have had some amazing gifts from the heart over the years.  This year was also wonderful.  Brian gave Katrina a coupon for six hours of time with Dad which she will probably use to watch a movie or two with him.  Katrina wrote Matt a beautiful poem that she shared with the family.  She's quite the poet.  Matt wrote me a song.  It was funny and original, and I loved it!  I gave Thomas a triple layered blanket—quilted, bonded, and fleece—to keep him super warm.  I started the blanket long ago and never finished it, so I decided I’d finish it up for my gift from the heart.  Kind of lame, but he was pleased.  Thomas gave Miriam a bracelet that he conned her into helping him make by telling her it was for Katrina.   He figured that the best way to make sure she liked it was to have her help pick out the beads herself.  She wore it to church on Christmas.  Miriam gave Jon the biggest, biggest heating pad I've ever seen.  He really seems to like it.  Jon made Brian a video.  It was hilarious!  It was all very fun—one of my favorite parts of Christmas!  Then Brian read the Christmas story, we prayed, and went to bed.