Christmas Eve 2012

Our church has a Christmas Eve service we attend every year.  It's for the whole family, so, as you can imagine, this year it was quite an experience.  We marched in with our children with high hopes, and it became painfully obvious that they both were not in the mood.  Imagine that, a preschooler and toddler who were wiggly and cranky at dinner and bedtime.  We somehow pulled through, a little the worse for ware, and headed back home where I'd set up a scavenger hunt for Spencer (and Evelyn).  

About a week and a half before Christmas Day, Spencer asked me if he could have a baby Jesus for Christmas.  I didn't know exactly what to say, so sweetly went on and on about how Jesus was a real person, who was born as a baby, who is God and that we follow Him etc., etc.  So, we can't really get Him as a present. Spencer finally looked at me and said something like, "Ok, mom.  I just have a 'ba-tend' baby Jesus for Christmas?".  Ha!  I told him I didn't know if they made those, but that I would check to see if I could find one for Christmas.  He went on to tell me that he wanted to put Baby Jesus in the manger and then he ran over to me and said, "Hold me!"

It was undeniably precious that he would ask for that, and, even thought I'd already bought him his Christmas gifts, it's like Jonathan said, "I feel kinda weird telling you not to get a baby Jesus for him."

So I found a few on the internet, passed on the $200 one, instead ordering the more "reasonably priced one."  Then, I had a brain storm, and decided to make his much-anticipated Baby Jesus the surprise gift at the end of his Christmas Eve Scavenger hunt.

When we got home from the Christmas Eve Service, I took him to the first clue, written on the back of a picture next to our nativity scene.  It said that some of the nativity figures were missing, and Spencer and Evelyn needed to solve the clues to help find them and put them back where they belong.  He was so excited, but he refused to start the scavenger hunt until his Papa got there.  Thankfully, he arrived not too much longer.

It was so fun to watch him be so excited.  We'll have do it every year.  Each clue card had a character or animal from our nativity scene, and I hid them all through the house.  The last clue led him to a gift under (ok, near the tree) that had his baby Jesus doll inside.  

He was so proud and excited when he solved the clues.  Yes, if you look closely, you'll see that baby Jesus came with a detachable halo.  This Christmas was full of hilarious cuteness.

"Spencer, go stand by your sister by the Christmas tree."

Poor Evelyn.  She was trying to work with me.  

I had such high hopes for these funny Christmas photo props, but we were all worn out and hungry.  I snapped a few pictures really quickly, then we had to move on.

While I was doing the scavenger hunt with Spencer, Evelyn was playing in the toilet in her Christmas dress.  A little scavenger hunt of her own, I guess.  After washing her hands thoroughly, we all sat up to eat our family's Christmas Eve tradition of Sausage Breakfast Casserole (not the gross, soggy ones with nasty doughy crust--this is amazing), Pepper Jack Cheese Grits, and Hot Curried Fruit.  

I'd told the fam that we'd love to have everyone after the Christmas Eve service, but that I only thought I could pull off Little Caesar's and fresh fruit.  Luckily, mom and Hillary (in from Nashville) volunteered to cook "Christmas Eve Dinner" at Mom's and bring it over after the Christmas Eve Service.  So, we all ate a delicious home cooked meal in the comfort of our own home where no cooking or clean up had to take place.  Merry Christmas to me.  I do think I set the table, sorta...and, I had Sandi Patty's Christmas Album playing in the background, because that's the Christmas music of my childhood.  

Spencer loved his baby Jesus doll, and Evelyn cried and threw fits all night that it wasn't hers.  Veggie Tales Christmas movies were watched by all, and then everyone went to sleep, until the usual middle of the night wake up calls.