Christmas Eve 2009

Christmas Eve was a pretty fun and relaxing day for us! Andy and I were both at different stages in the cold that has blown through our little family, so we decided to take it as a cue that we should take it easy for the day. The only thing we really needed to do was get out to a drug store for some last minute Christmas Eve shopping. We weren’t missing anything major, just some little things... Like candy. We had planned to go sooner, but being sick stopped us for a few days! So about halfway through the day we headed to Rite Aid and then stopped at McDonald’s to grab lunch. Rite Aid was not overly crowded and the McDonald’s was good. :)

We spent most of the day listening to Charlie be really excited about Santa coming, and talking to him about what was going to happen that night. We made chocolate chip cookies for Santa and watched some Christmas movies. Then the sun finally started to set, the lights came on, and dinner was over. Charlie was practically jumping out of his skin with anticipation. We read the Bible story and talked about the meaning of Christmas... Although I am not sure how much Charlie was listening! He was much too excited to open a present.

We had Charlie open up a pair of new pajamas from us. He was very, very excited because they were Buzz Lightyear. They are the same style as the Lightening McQueen pajamas he got last year. Then, it was time for him to pick the one present that he was going to open on Christmas Eve. I already knew which one he planned to open, because he’d been pulling it out every day since it had arrived. Andy’s sister had sent Charlie a present wrapped in Frosty the Snowman paper. Charlie loves Frosty. Everything has been about either Frosty or Santa this Christmas. So, he was absolutely positive that was the present he was going to open. When we told him he could rip into it, he could hardly believe his luck. He declared the present, “Just what I always wanted!” It was a flannel board with the different continents and animals. So we spent some time that evening telling flannel board stories with him. He really likes it – thanks Kristina!

Then it was Andy’s turn. Andy opened a small present from me – a tape measurer. He really likes this tape measurer because it does both inches and metric. Then it was my turn, I opened a present from Kristina as well – a new cookbook that looks really nice!

After Charlie put his pajamas on, he came back downstairs to play with us and get some of his wiggles out. We set out some cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer, then headed upstairs to read “The Night Before Christmas” and put him to bed. I do not know if he went to sleep right away, this is highly doubtful, but he at least stayed in his room!

All in all, it was a very relaxing Christmas Eve!