December 2020: Christmas Eve

We went back to our fake Christmas tree this year. In a normal year, it is very difficult to find live trees by the time we are ready to put ours up for the O Antiphons the week before Christmas, but apparently in a pandemic year, the demand for live Christmas trees rivals the demand for toilet paper. Who knew. Real tree or plastic, the kids love pulling out the boxes of ornaments and I love sitting back and letting them bring their tree to life.

Edie likes to show me each ornament before she puts in on the tree.

Agnes wanted to put every single last ornament on the tree (there really isn't enough room for that so the kids pick their favorites for the year and the rest stay in the box). 

Although the way Agnes decorates she might actually be able to fit every single ornament on the tree; this is her favorite branch.

Dema helped by entertaining Agnes when we had to get the breakable ornaments up and clean up.

We still had Christmas Eve at Mamo & Papa's this year, but it was more of an open house for the day instead of everyone crowding in at the same time. We didn't get to see all of the extended family that is usually there together but it was nice to have some time to sit with Mamo and Papa without too much chaos.

Agnes still loves opening presents. She had enough of her own that she didn't make too much of a fuss about opening everyone else's presents this year.

Michael has been desperate for a new water bottle to fit his bike. He's ready for lots of rides with Daddy this summer!

The kids always have to break out and play with all their presents immediately. Agnes made everyone in the room read her new books to her.

And Lego sets were immediately torn open and assembled on the floor.

Thank you, Mamo, for another lovely Christmas Eve! Since we stopped by earlier in the day, we had time to take everything home and get dinner before going to the late mass for Christmas. It was an exhausting but beautiful day.