We usually spend a chunk of time at Dave's parents' house on Christmas Eve.
We love getting a chance to spend with the cousins in the midst of all the hoopla and excitement.
This year we did our traditional cousin white-elephant gift exchange on Christmas Eve.
The kids love that part and I must say all the switching around of gifts and glee when they get what they want is pretty entertaining for the adults as well.
We have a gift-giving-rotation going on with those guys and Dave's sister spoiled us this year with baking stuff and gift cards. She is so very kind.
Then we go home and have our own family festivities.
Lucy was baby Jesus this year.
She took it very seriously.
So did Claire.
Dave was a pretty good shepherd...
...and Josh was a great asset as the donkey.
Then the sibling gift-giving began.
Oh I love this part.
Let's just observe the progression of Claire giving Lu her gift:
I just love how proud/happy Claire's face is.
That Ariel doll has pretty much not left Lu's side since Christmas. 
...and Claire gets that same look on her face (above) each time she sees her with it.
This next one is a pretty good gift-progression series as well (let's just ignore the fact I was trying to figure out whether to do flash or high ISO with my camera this whole night...):
First it was a cute sweater.
Then she opened the "piece de resistance:"
Some "fake glasses" she had been dying for.
Yeah, she was pretty excited.
Grace always gives opening gifts a little bit of flair:
Wait, is it some chips??
No way, it's a really snuggly blanket.
Grace gives her thanks with some extra flair as well:
Max gave Elle some funny feather earrings and a gift card for Forever 21.
He was pretty happy about that too.
Lu gave Max a shirt.
Yeah, not quite as dramatic since she didn't really know what it was she was giving him when he opened it up (a little help from Dad on that one). Next year she'll be better at that I'm sure.
But he sure loved what he got too.
Needless to say they were all pretty pumped up with their gifts.
And of course, their traditional Christmas PJ's too:
Dave read the traditional "T'was the Night Before Christmas:"
And then we sent them off to bed with visions of sugar-plums dancing in their heads.
We adults have our own private Christmas Eve traditions too: watching "A Christmas Story" and helping Santa put together a couple things.
Santa sure loves having Josh around to help on Christmas Eve.Labels: christmas
The kids love that part and I must say all the switching around of gifts and glee when they get what they want is pretty entertaining for the adults as well.
Lucy was baby Jesus this year.
So did Claire.
...and Josh was a great asset as the donkey.
I just love how proud/happy Claire's face is.
That Ariel doll has pretty much not left Lu's side since Christmas. 
...and Claire gets that same look on her face (above) each time she sees her with it.
First it was a cute sweater.
Some "fake glasses" she had been dying for.
Yeah, she was pretty excited.
Grace gives her thanks with some extra flair as well:
He was pretty happy about that too.
Yeah, not quite as dramatic since she didn't really know what it was she was giving him when he opened it up (a little help from Dad on that one). Next year she'll be better at that I'm sure.
Santa sure loves having Josh around to help on Christmas Eve.