Twas the Night Before Christmas

Our Christmas Eve started with a snake craft. I know what you are thinking, but it actually worked really well at helping the time pass pleasantly and keeping the children occupied. I still had laundry and packing to do and we wanted Eli to take a nap at home, so we stuck around our own house until late afternoon.

I'd been saving toilet paper rolls for weeks for these snakes. You take a bunch of toilet paper rolls, cut them in half, paint them, attach them to each other somehow (we used yarn), add googly eyes and a tongue, and you're done.

When the snakes and laundry and napping were done, we headed to Timothy's parents house for their traditional Bethlehem dinner. We all wrap scarves/towels/head things around our heads or shoulders and tie them with cord. You can see Eli's head in the picture below. It is a little camouflaged.

For supper we eat fish and olives and pita sandwiches by candlelight. Very tasty.

After supper was cleaned up we opened pajamas. Beckie doesn't do that with her kids so it was just my kids opening theirs.

We failed to get a picture of all the kids in their pajamas, so you'll have to imagine it. I got them all matching with striped pants. Eli's has a snowboarder on the top. Cowen's has something similar. The girls have three buttons and no image on the shirt.

After pajamas we read the Christmas story in the Bible and sang. I love doing this at Beckie's house because Eric and Bryce and Beckie all sing parts, so it sounds so lovely. Timothy's family is outrageously musical.

When Kenny got there we bundled up to carol to four neighbors. We do this every year and it is a highlight of the evening because Beckie puts together popcorn balls. We get to someone's house, sing a song (with parts) then throw popcorn balls at the people at the door. Cowen thinks this is beyond fantastic. He is ALLOWED to throw things at people. Fun, fun.

Trying to get the children to fall asleep was not fun. Last year they did a lot better. This year, I sat with them in Eric's room from 9:30 to 10:30 before I got Timothy, who sat with them until they fell asleep at 11:00. By then we were too tired to play games so we went to bed.

But despite the falling asleep issues--it was a lovely evening. Beckie is an incredible decorator so I love going to her house during Christmas. It is magical.

And don't mock the snake craft. We had no snow and I'm sure you remember how LONG Christmas Eve felt when you were a kid. Distraction is a time-honored parental strategy. :)