Part 4 - Christmas Eve

Brown paper packages tied up with string . . . 

 one more ornament to hang on the advent tree . . . 

 one more day until Christmas!

 We were able to attend the Christmas Eve service at our church for the first time ever.  It was a beautiful service and the boys were incredibly well behaved.  They really enjoyed the candle lighting part of the service and held their candles carefully.  (Jake got a little help from daddy.)

Traditionally we take a drive and look at Christmas lights on "Christmas Eve" a.k.a the night before we get in the car and drive to Nashville or Indiana for Christmas.  This year we were able to actually do that on Christmas Eve.  We packed up hot chocolate for the boys and stopped off at Starbucks for peppermint mochas for mama and daddy.  We also made a stop at our local fire station and dropped off cinnamon rolls for our "heroes" that pulled the Christmas Eve/Night shift.  

On the subject of Santa - last year we explained to Joseph that Santa is a great story but he doesn't bring gifts to our house and that Christmas is about Jesus, etc.  He took it pretty well.  Then he went to Kindergarten.  I was informed that we needed to leave 4 donuts and a cup of milk out for Santa on Christmas Eve and that Santa fills our stockings.  There were also tears over the fact that he thought he might be on Santa's naughty list this year.  (there may have been legitimate reason for him thinking this).  However, daddy told him that Jesus knows his heart and that Santa and Jesus work together.  This has somehow opened a whole new can of worms regarding the God, Jesus, Santa trinity . . . but that's another conversation.  

We decided to play along.  Who are we to deny the kiddo some magic?  And do we really want to be the parents of the kid who ruins the Santa dream for the rest of the kids in his class?  No.  

So we put out the donuts and milk and we all camped out in the living room that night waiting for Santa.  

Jacob held out until about 11:30 pm and Joseph lasted until about 1 am.  Unfortunately they just missed Santa.  But in the morning the stockings were filled, the milk was gone and just a crumb of donut remained.