Blogmas 2016 – It’s Christmas Eve

Day 24

Wow, I can’t believe it is here! Christmas Eve. Only two more posts about Christmas and then “after Christmas” til the end of the year. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it but I have and it has been a really great experience remembering Christmases past, talking about the true meaning, sharing songs.

While I have a lot of bad memories of my family, I also have more good ones. Christmas Eve, in general, is one of them.

My Dad would close his store at 6:00 pm and we would go out for dinner. Sometimes it was Chinese, other times Italian and when I was home after high school and working at a Greek restaurant, they would eat there and I joined them after my shift. My parents actually ate out every Friday night after I was in my teens but I didn’t always join them. Christmas Eve, everyone came – my sister and her family, my Grandfather when he was alive and living with us, and me. It was a fun time.

After dinner, we would all go back to Mom and Dad’s and open one present. You got to pick which one you wanted so there was lots of shaking, poking and listening! LOL. I usually picked the one that I was the most certain of…and was usually right!

When I was not living at home, I would usually stay over so I didn’t have to drive at night and then come back the next day. So, I would stay up and enjoy the fire and the tree. If Mom was working in the kitchen I would help as I loved cooking with her. That is probably the best thing my Mom ever gave me – her love of cooking. And more importantly her love of cooking for others.

I have been told I have the gift of hospitality and I definitely got it from my Mom. She was never happier than when she had a crowd to cook for.

Hubby and I were going to just spend Christmas Day together and not do anything formal in the way of food. It turned out that his parents weren’t doing anything and I decided I just couldn’t spend Christmas without cooking a meal. So, they are coming over and I have planned a ham dinner. It won’t be too fancy but something we all like.

So, part of Christmas Eve will include some dinner prep. My food order will be delivered between 10 am and noon – I had to book four days in advance to get that timeslot!

Hubby and I are hoping to go to the early church service and, of course, go out for dinner.

I wish everyone who celebrates a very Merry Christmas. I leave you with yet another Pentatonix Christmas song.

Lydia!