Christmas Eve

Merry Merry Friends!

Our tree fell for the 2nd or 3rd time of the season

on Christmas Eve.

Some of our favorite ornaments that Santa gave us from Disneyworld broke.

I opted to take it down immediately and never look at it again.

It was lopsided, but I am not sure

that was the problem.

D and I have always had falling down trees.

It may be user error.

We are going to look into a new stand and a new technique next year.

I told D to put it on our deck.

Not in the front of the house, because what would the neighbors think?

But in the back because our backyard neighbors already know we aren't perfect

and they love us anyway.

So I spruced up this tree that I got from

 The Backyard Neighbor garage sale last summer.

And promised to light a fire, and that Christmas Eve would go on.

The girls dressed themselves appropriately,

 on this day.

A little Santa and a little Elf.

I swoon.

I spent much of the day alone, as D ran errands with the girls so Santa could wrap.

I  loved playing Santa with my Dolly Parton Holiday music playing.

 

We always make a meal together

for Christmas Eve.

Lily wanted ribs this year.

So we declared it Southern Christmas.

D made ribs and cornbread muffins.

I made homemade mac and cheese

and Hoppin John.

It all turned out so good, you woulda thought we were from the South!

 

 After dinner it was time for gifts.

Charlotte made D and I a mistletoe with her footprints at preschool.

As tradition, we all got new books and pj's.

D and the girls then made cookies.

While the cookies baked

Lily wrote two letters to Santa.

One from her, and one from Charlotte.

 Lily used the catalogue to audit her list and make sure she didn't forget anything.

 We sprinkled our reindeer food and cuddled up for the movie Elf in our bed.

We put the kids to bed and I fell asleep.

 

Trusting D would wake me when we heard the reindeer.

And he did.

It was a perfect day and night.

Only topped by Christmas morning.