It was a most unusual Christmas Eve with these majestic rolling clouds and no snow!
We mixed some old traditions with some new.
New, being that Dad took the kids golfing! That will most likely be the first and last time we get to do that. The kids had some crazy videos of them dragging behind the golf cart. It's all fun and games until you have to scrub out grass stains!
Our other new activity was making a gingerbread FROM SCRATCH. This is one of Sofie's traditions that she does back at home with her grandma. While the others were golfing, I made the dough and royal icing and she measured, cut out, and baked the pieces, complete with a doghouse. After it cooled, we "glued" the structure together with icing. Once all the hard work was done, the kids came home and decorated it. They made one side Danish and the other American.
Finally it was time for the traditional festivities. We had our candlelight dinner with ham, au-gratin potatoes, peas, and orange rolls. Everyone shared around the table a most memorable gift they had received. All the girls seemed to love the year they got the dollhouse.
Dad narrated the nativity from Luke 2 and everyone took their roles (very seriously, of course.)
We read chorus style, because some of us have various parts memorized, the "Night Before Christmas."
FINALLY, it was time to open a present! The kids drew names and gave to each other, earning money for half the gift and we matched the other half. In addition to buying a gift for their chosen sibling they were also to be extra kind and helpful to that person. That part mostly just stayed in the "good idea phase" because no one was able to concretely describe something extra nice that their gift-giver did. Ah well, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
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