Dolar Days: The Eve's

To start - a little history...Growing up, I always spent Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa Williamsons house. Christmas Eve was filled with tradition that changed and evolved over the years. There was always great food, and hanging out with all of my cousins. The Grandkids all had an individual stocking that Grandma would fill and hang from the staircase. The kids always played out the story of Christmas as Uncle Leonard read from the bible. We would raid my Grandmothers closet for robes, hats and nightgowns; use her perfume bottles for gifts for the baby and the youngest grandchild was always baby Jesus. As we grew up, Grandma's house kept getting smaller as our family grew larger, we eventually changed our traditions and each family started to create traditions of their own.

I found myself wanting do continue doing something on Christmas Eve, I wanted my kids to have something to look forward to each year and remember in the years to come. Over the past few years we've started a Christmas Eve party at our home that includes both sides of our families. Our parents, siblings and cousins (who, really, are more like siblings) come over each Christmas Eve for food, fun & laughter.

One of the things that we traditionally do is a White Elephant gift exchange. There are some tried and true gifts that make the rounds each year and always a new one that shows up that everyone wants (usually a Gnome and somehow, every year, Diane scores it).

This year (or should I say 2009) we also had Kelly's family (and Megan & Ian) over for New Years Eve. Tracie's family was here from Denver so we decided to have everyone over again to hang out while they were in town.

Below are a few pictures from both Christmas and New Years Eve. Blogging lesson #1 - I need to take more pictures!!!