Happy Christmas Eve Eve

The fruits of yesterday (and today’s) labor:

There was a little bit of a delay on the cookie baking because I couldn’t find my cookie cutters. Yep – some of those suckers I’ve had for over 20 years and they were no where to be found. I think I moved them to a new location to free up room in my corner kitchen cabinet, last year  – but  hell if I know where I put them. So we had to by a whole new set.

No, you may not open a present today.

We wait until Christmas Eve, after dinner but before Mass, only then – I allow the kids to open one present. And of course, they get to open the rest on Christmas morning along with their stockings. I still fill stockings for my college aged kids even though they’re in their twenties. I guess I’ll only stop after they get married and have families of their own . By the way – we take turns at my house. It’s not a frenzy of kids tearing open presents not even knowing who they’re from. We take our time – savoring each present received.

My fancy shmancy dining room tree: