Well, we made it. Its finally the day before Christmas. One of the days we have been waiting for. A true full circle to the Advent season; the waiting and anticipation in its ultimate climax.
Twas the night before Jesus came.
My heart is just processing it all so differently this year. I know what its like to be a mom. I know what its like to be in the cold of the year and waiting for something I have no idea about.
I remember a year ago, my heart melted for Mary. I was scared to death to bring a kid into the world. For, so many reasons, but mostly because I didn’t know if I could handle the task before me. My little miracle man was on his way and I was scared of giving birth to him and then trying to raise him and keep him alive.
I’m happy to report we have almost made it to a year, but that doesn’t change the fear that still swells in my heart. It seems each stage brings something new. A new fear, a new worry, a new layer of change that I’m just never ready to experience.
And, on this Christmas Eve, my heart is back in a similar place. How did she do it. So simple. So primitive. So young. So naive. Yet, so much faith. So much trust. So much humility and reverence.
We will celebrate many traditions today, but I will keep pondering Mary in my heart.
How do you celebrate Christmas Eve? I feel like more than Christmas Day, Christmas Eve is writhe with tradition.
We will be at my folks with our extended family. Christmas Eve is when the Jones’ get together. My mom is hosting so she gets to pick the menu and we will have all kinds of random things.
I’ve shared before about my mom and her Christmas themes. Since its Little Man’s first Christmas, she is doing a “deerly blessed” theme and Arkansas ideas mixed in. Buffalo plaid, galvanized treasures, pigs, chickens, and deer adorn all the things. Including our menu!
- pulled pork sandwiches
- BBQ venison
- chicken wings
- Arkansas Green beans – Margaret Holmes
- strawberry salad
- crock pot corn
- chips and dips
- carrot cake and coca cola cake
- possum pie – i found it listed as the official Arkansas dessert – its basically 4 layer delight, if you have had that
- edible cookie dough bar
We will share stockings, gifts for the little kids and probably sit around and play games or watch the babies do their tricks. Its always a day full of tradition. I”ll be honest, I’ll miss looking over and seeing my Papa. He would have loved this little guy and I know he would sit much of the day and hold him whether he was jumping or wanting a nap.
Growing up we had so many traditions. And, I think that shaped so much of who I am. Or maybe it spoke to who I am. As I’ve gotten older and had to take different personality tests for different jobs, I’ve discovered that “routine” is a big thing that defines me, my work style, and my everyday way of functioning. You know, frankly that makes a lot of sense. I look forward to tradition and creating traditions around so many things. Sometimes to a fault, but its part of my DNA none the less.
Some of the special things we did growing up included:
- Picking one gift – Always on Christmas Eve, in the evening after dinner, they usually let us pick one gift to open. I get this now. It was basically to keep us from whining any more and to get us occupied so the adults could hang out. Somehow, it was usually the one that needed batteries, but those were in our stocking for the next morning. I don’t know how we had a radar for that, but we did!
- Grandparents didn’t have a fireplace and for so many people that
was just so weird. Actually even as I’ve told MR. McKinney stories about my Christmases growing up, he still can’t get this. But, you know our house at home didnt have one and my grandparents didnt have one. So they jsut said he came through the front door, and that worked for me. I did always make sure we had the front portch light on, his cookies on the couch and… - Reindeer food – this was a combination of oatmeal and glitter and someone gave us a ziploc baggie of it on Chrismtas Eve. Somewhere along the way, I think we left out a few carrots too. But, I remember going out and sprinkling it all over the front sidewalk. Somehow they awlays remembered to sweep it off the walk and driveway and keep it out of the yard.
- We slept on the floor in my grandparents room. Now that I think about it, that was one of my favorite treats. Otherwise, we were on a pallet on the floor in my parents room. But on Christmas Eve, we got to sleep in grandmother’s room. I can still picture how the room was arranged and snuggling on the floor pallet by my sister. Such sweet special memories.
- Mom and dad had “the box” – once I came of knowledge, I figured out there was a box we would unpack when we got there, that was all taped up so no one got in it. I later discovered this was all our Christmas Morning stocking stuff. Special memories.
- Santa stockings – so, my grandmother liked to sew, that’s where I first learned. She had a stocking that hung up on the rim of the windows in her front room (no fireplace, no mantle). That was out special stocking that she would stuff on Christmas Eve and have out on the bar. But, on Christmas Eve, we would leave out our Santa stocking on the dual seat couch and always in the same spot. Me on the left, my sister on the right. My mom still uses these same stockings for us. It’s pretty fun.
Looking forward to starting new traditions with my little guy. This year won’t really matter. He doesn’t understand much and will love playing with the tissue paper and boxes as much as anything. But, in the coming years, I can’t wait to set traditions and create memories with him.
I did get Little Man a “
- December 1 – What is Advent
- December 2 – Nativity
- December 3 – Lights
- December 4 – Fruitcake
- December 5 – Ornaments
- December 6 – Cards
- December 7 – Smell
- December 8 – Office Party
- December 9 – Gift Exchange
- December 10 – Family Pictures
- December 11 – Stocking Stuffers
- December 12 – Party Food
- December 13 – Favorite Tradition
- December 14 – It’s Christmas when…
- December 15 – Christmas Wear
- December 16 – Christmas Cookie
- December 17 – Christmas Carol/Music
- December 18 – Christmas Charity
- December 19 – Community Traditions
- December 20 – Bah-Humbug
- December 21 – Grown-up Christmas List
- December 22 – Elf on the Shelf
- December 23 – Nostalgia
- December 24 – Christmas Eve
- December 25 – Christmas Day – How will you spend the big day – where will you be? Who will you be with? What’s on your mind?
- December 26 – Dreams for the Year Ahead
