CHRISTMAS EVE:
Well to start off it is a family tradition that we spend Christmas Eve at my Mom's parent's house. We drove up early and helped grandma make dinner. I love that kitchen and all the memories helping prepare family meals there. And if we are really lucky we get to help with the many many dishes because NO DISHWASHER! Just lots of wrinkly fingers and hands:)
Christmas Eve would be the same without a pinata! I have wondered myself and asked around and no one really knows how this tradition got started, but I don't ever not having a pinata on Xmas Eve. It always seems to be a challenge to see how much candy we can stuff, shake, smash, shake, and shove into a variety of pinata shapes each year. Then is the betting of what kind of pinata we have each year. A mildly entertaining couple hits and its open one, or a pinata so heavy duty it breaks the attached plastic hanging strap and becomes a ghetto, but rad pinata that is hung by wrapping it with rope. Those always seem to be the best years. This year we had a milder one, but it was still fun to watch the kids go at it. It makes me feel old to remember back to pinata's in the backyard of the Grandparent's house because there were only a handful of us grandkids. Now with this sweet baby and more to come we are currently at 21! This year at the party we had 11 of those kids and it was so fun!
After the crazy candy fun we sung Christmas carols with the favorites that never seem to end like the 12 Days of Christmas and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. Then each of the grandkids got to open presents from the grandparents. This is fantastic tradition because it serves two purposes. 1st the kids (yes i'm still included in that) love to open presents and get fun toys a day early. WHO WOULDN'T?? 2nd these toys serve as a distraction for a good hour or so for all the kids under 12 so that the adults can play the famous Christmas Eve Game.
THE WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT EXCHANGE!!
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Christmas morning is always a joy!