12 Days of Christmas - Day 7 - A New Tradition

Well...we've made it to Day 7!  I hope everyone is enjoying my 12 Days of Christmas!! 

I am!!! :)

It's been fun sharing ideas, crafts, recipes and some of my family traditions.

Today I'm bringing you another tradtion.  This is one is new though...just started last year!

We have several Christmas Eve traditions in my family.

We come from all over for Christmas.  My brother from wherever he's stationed at the time, me and Doodle from Indy, depending on where we are 'meeting' that year, like this year is Dallas, so my grandparents are flying in from Florida.  My aunt and her daughter always used to come in from Louisiana (although they now live in Dallas, so they aren't far anymore)...and sometimes more come from Michigan and Florida.  It just depends. 

It's our unofficial annual gathering!

One of the things you can count on, we ALWAYS attend Christmas Eve candle light service at the church!!  It doesn't matter where we are...my grandparents in Florida we go the Lutheran church service.  Dallas the Baptist church service.  But we ALL always go...whether you are a regular Sunday goer or only go this one time a year.  It is a requirement. :)

Two, my step-mom bakes and cooks enough food to feed a large small village!!  Seriously, there is always more food than all or us could EVER eat!  And some of the food is VERY unique to our family (like Monkey Puke, LOL).  But it's tradition!! 

The other tradition we ALWAYS do is...we each get to open ONE present on Christmas Eve.  And it is ALWAYS new pajamas that are the required 'uniform' for opening presents the next morning.  You will NOT shower or get dolled up before presents on Christmas morning! :) 

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Last year my Grandma Pat started a new Christmas Eve tradition for the ladies in our family.

Now keep in mind, my G-ma Pat is self described....NOT crafty.

So, this was a BIG deal!! :)

She bought us all plain red or green aprons and tons of iron-ons and stencils and glitter and all kinds of goodness for each of us to make our own aprons.  If there were two girls in the house, you each had to get a different color so there was no confusion. 

Doodle chose green.

So I got red.

Dontcha just love my apron model!  I do! :)

And we are now supposed to bring them with us each year so that we can add to our aprons!

Some of things Doodle used in 2009:

I got a little braver, using a stencil, glue and glitter!  Overall I think it turned out pretty cute! :)

Some of our family is definitely not crafty...but I think we all enjoyed it!!  I know I did! :) 

I even think my baby brother enjoyed it (he made his girlfriends for her since she wasn't there Christmas Eve). :)

I can't wait to see what she has for us this year to add to the apron! :)

I have two Christmas parties to attend this weekend.  So, most likely I will have to continue with the 12 days of Christmas on Sunday.  I apologize...but you know how this time of year can be.

So.....until next time.....