Christmas Eve might be one of my favorite days of the year … it’s 100% family focused and filled with traditions. We have a big family breakfast, watch a movie, make cookies for Santa, attend the pick-up pageant at church, spread reindeer food, decorate the cookies we baked earlier in the day and eat clam chowder for dinner. After the kids go to bed, the elves get to work while enjoying a lovely bottle of red wine and watching Love Actually. It’s the same schedule each.and.every.year and I love it.

We love the pick-up pageant at St. Matt’s. It’s completely adorable and perfect for little kids. If you’ve never done a pick-up pageant … mark it on your calendar for next year. The kids get to join in the service as either an angel or a shepherd … this year Tyler decided he’d be a shepherd (last year he wanted to be an angel just like his sister). And, you’ll notice no photographs during the actual service (although it was sooooo utterly cute) … but the priest asked that we be respectful during the service. But oh how I wanted to grab it while Tyler wandered around all the angels looking for his sister!  And this year we ran into Sabrina’s little boyfriend at church … such a sweet kiddo!!  I love how she runs to him and hugs him.

So, here are a few little snapshots of our day.  Like the tattoos on Sabrina’s arm?  She was pretty mad that I wouldn’t let her have any on her face.