Getting Ready and Christmas Eve

For Family home evening a couple of weeks before Christmas, we made our own Nativity scene out of paper dolls. I found the idea on the blog, The red Headed Hostess. I thought it turned out cute.  We also watched a cute little video off of youtube about the nativity with a little girl narrating.  It was so cute!  Here is the link:
http://youtu.be/PURToRRq7gM

Making Christmas sugar cookies on the 23rd.

We decorated them on the 24th.

 Garrett's parents are on their mission in Tacoma Washington and they were able to come down on the 24th and then stay for Christmas day.  They left again on Monday to get back to work.  On Christmas Eve, they took us out to dinner at a Mexican Restaurant as our gift for Christmas.  It was nice to not have to cook!

When we got home, we began the festivities by acting out the Nativity and singing hymns in between scriptures.  Jim was the narrator, Lydia was Mary, Garrett was Joseph.  I was a shepherd and Noah and Bella were my sheep.  Paige was the angel and Georgia and Maggie were the Wisemen. 

The complete cast

 After "the program", we watched Luke 2, a short 5 minute video on the Savior's birth.  I love to watch it every year.   Then we had Grandpa Jim read, "The Night Before Christmas"

We started a new tradition this year, that I hope will continue.  I had the 4 girls draw names between themselves and they had to make and create a present for that person using their skills and talents.  The girls kept asking if we could just go and buy something for their person, but I really wanted to emphasize that this be a homemade gift.  Something that they put some thought into and really work hard for, using their talents and trying to really think about the person that they drew.  For Paige and Bella, I helped quite a bit, but Maggie and Lydia did it all on their own.  The girls were really excited about the things that they made.  We opened these on Christmas Eve, so that these special gifts wouldn't get overlooked the next morning.  They all did a great job and I think they all appreciated their gifts. 

This is Bella's gift from Maggie.  It's a little skirt for one of Bella's dolls that Maggie sewed on her own.

 Paige's gift from Lydia was a packet of Christmas puzzles with mazes, dot to dots, word searches and coloring pictures. 

 Paige made a 2012 calendar for Lydia and drew all the pictures for it.  I helped by adding all the dates and birthdays and things to the calendar, so that it was personalized for Lydia.

Bella and I made a recipe book for Maggie, since she really likes to cook.  Bella picked out the paper and helped me cut and glue it all together.  She was very excited to give it to Maggie.

Then we opened the jammies from grandma and grandpa Hansen.

Everyone loved their jammies!!  Then we put out some sugar cookies and milk for Santa Clause and sent the kids off to bed!

Noah had a little snack before he went to bed and enjoyed sticking crackers on his face and in his hair.  What a goofball.