(ended)Countdown contest: 36 Days Till Christmas

[sarah4770]

We usually have a buffet spread at my house on christmas eve...all those wonderful holiday foods, we watch christmas movies or play christmas music and sit in front of the tree, and just spend time togethere. the kids get to pick one present to open.

[PartiesByCatharine]

Every Christmas Eve we attend mass at church and then drive around to check out everyone's Christmas lights on the way home. Later in the evening we have a little get together with neighbors and family friends. It's a great excuse to eat cookies, fudge, and tons of other sweets!

[jendon1997]

We go to my mothers every Christmas Eve. She has a family and friend get together. Over the past few years more and more people show up at her house. It is so much fun and I look forward to it every year.

[arob414]

We go to my mom's for Christmas Eve, time depends upon which day I am off for Christmas. This year, I work the Eve , so we will all gather there after I get off work. "We" includes my mom, my girls and my sister's family, including the married daughters. We always eat way too much. Coca Cola cake is a favorite family dessert but we also ALWAYS have pecan tarts and wedding cookies. Actual food depends upon if we are in a finger food mood (my favorite) or a real food mood (my mom's favorite). We open presents, visit and go home. The girls always get to open one gift and they get a new pair of jammies.

A newer tradition (maybe) is opening the rest of their gifts. They now know who Santa is. If I have to work Christmas Day, it is easier and more enjoyable for them to open on the Eve. I am not crazy about that. This year, we will probably go to my aunt's for wkend and leave early on Christmas morning so I may let them open gifts, again, on the Eve.

[barbaraapple]

We all go back home to mama and daddy's house eat dinner and open gifts and just talk about childhood memories of growing up and I get to enjoy my niece and nephew..

[emtntn]

Christmas Eve is kind of crazy at our house. First we start by going to my mothers to exchange gifts, we then head to my fathers and eat dinner, the kids open gifts and the adults play dirty santa. Once we get home the kids and I bake cookies for santa.

[MrsWonka]

My Christmas Eve traditions vary. My parents divorced before I can remember, so I have always celebrated Christmas with one parent on Christmas Eve and the other parent on Christmas day. Unfortunately, my daughter's father and I divorced before her 2nd Christmas, so the tradition continues. This year we will get up Christmas Eve morning and it will be just like Christmas day at our house. Santa comes Christmas Eve's Eve, then we will have a big family dinner at our house with my Mom, Step-Dad, Aunt and In-Laws. We always drive through town looking at the wonderful light displays (this year we even have blow up yard art of our own). Then my daughter will go with her dad and my mom and I will go to midnight candlelight services. The years that my daughter is with us for Christmas day, our Christmas consists of Chinese food dinner with my In-Laws (their tradition from at least 25 years ago).

[pbhall13]

Christmas Eve Day starts with me finishing up my baking and having friends and kids pop in so we can exchange some little presents and chit chat. then I get the girls ready for Christmas Eve Mass and both of my girls take part in the Christmas Pagent (Sydney may play Mary this year) After Mass we get home and bundle up all the present that we have bought for our cousins, aunts, uncles and head over to my cousin Christine's house (lucky for me she only lives 3 streets over)........this is were we have a huge party! I would say that there are at least 60 people that go (sometimes more)....we all make a side dish and dessert for all to enjoy. I really love this part.......we have been doing this since I was a little girl. All the kids get to open the presents from the other family members and it can get crazy, but good crazy! (we have recently started going 1 hour earlier than the non family members so that the kids can open their presents before too many people get there and can enjoy seeing what they got) Then all the kids change into their jammies and we take the obligatory pictures..........then home we go waiting for Santa. I tuck the girls in Bed and then that is when I set everything up under the tree..........Then I collapse!

[julie007]

We go to my parents for our traditional Shrimp and Steak dinner. Then walk around thier neighborhood looking at the lights. Their neighborhood also does the bags with the candles it is awesome.

Now that my DD will be 3 we are going to try and start some of our own traditions. Getting great ideas here!

[bbangel]

Christmas Eve is always quiet. I always try to watch White Christmas with only the tree lights on and have hot chocolate and shortbread.