Holiday Traditions

Every year Mike and I go back and forth about when to open Christmas presents: Christmas Eve Night or Christmas Morning. I won this year! Growing up we always opened the presents in the morning. Since this is the second year in a row I won't be home in Hawaii for Xmas, I'm glad we decided to wait till the morning this year. Plus, the Chargers are playing on Christmas eve, so I don't want to be opening presents while watching a football game.

We made Mikes favorite Christmas cookie today- another tradition. Mike has to have this cookie frosted with Wilton cake frosting or else it doesn't taste the same to him.

Cutting out a cookie
frosting the cookie

Other traditions that we have:
* I used to want to shop after Thanksgiving with all the sales going on but now I can't stand the crowds so we try to get our Tree the day after Thanksgiving and put it up that day and decorate all that weekend.
* I Have to watch "LOVE ACTUALLY" every year. I Love that movie! "Love Actually" and "It's a Wonderful Life" are my favorite Christmas movies. I'm sorry but I can't stand "A Christmas Story".
* On Christmas Eve, we go to the Children's mass in the evening then come home for dinner. Usually a ham dinner. Then, we open the gifts (BUT not THIS year! we are gonna do the stockings instead)
*I always have to have hot chocolate (made by Mike) when I wrap presents. And listen to Christmas Music of course.
*I always wrap the presents in the stockings- I just think they are more fun that way. Even if its just a candy bar.
*Mike likes to have LAGAVULIN scotch every year.
* I like to have a fruit platter on Christmas morning then we have a nice Turkey Dinner.
* I LOVE to go to any kind of Christmas festival. Even though Mike hates crowds, Ill drag him to any Christmas thing going on in town. I also love to drive around and look at lights.

A pic of Shane just because he is super cute