Every year we go to Grandpa and Grandma Phillips home for Christmas Eve. This tradition started years ago when we would go to Grandpa and Grandma Morton's home for Christmas Eve. We always start the evening by lighting a
candelaria and placing it at the street in front of our home. This was started by some dear friends of ours, the
Schneblys, who provide every home in the neighborhood with a bag and candle. This year, the wind blew it over before we could even get out of the driveway.
We always pig out on food to start with (including Morton's famous deviled ham chip dip) and then we sing the song Grandma Darlene wrote to the tune of "The 12 Days of Christmas" with our own favorite words. Then all the lights go out as we read from the Holy Scriptures the story from Luke. At the conclusion of the reading each one of us lights a candle in the darkness to symbolize the light of Christ coming into the world and finish with "Silent Night".
As soon as the song is over and the candles are gathered up safely, the children rush downstairs to open presents and mad chaos ensues. I think we all remember the picture of David scooping up all his presents with a snow shovel. Cousins Laura and Elsie somehow got given the same new outfit.
Grandma Janene gets a brief moment during the pandemonium to cuddle her newest grandson, Ben. Then it's off to our house again to watch "Its a Wonderful Life" and we will all be snug in our beds, with visions of Sugar Plums (I learned how to make these the other day - use the attached link)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98666433 in our heads around midnight
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