Christmas Eve Traditions (add photo)

 We have a wonderful tradition for Christmas Eve.

I made costumes long ago - and have added to my collection over the years, so every Christmas Eve we dress up as shepherds to enjoy a meal that would have been served back at the time of Christ's birth.

It used to be completely traditional - only Mediterranean food, but we have added some extra items so that there is food that the kids will enjoy as well. 

Dinner consists of:

Fish, Salmon, Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs, Mediterranean seasoned vegetables (and corn for Devon), flat bread, and various dips for flat bread.  

We turn off all the lights in the house and eat dinner by candlelight on the floor in the family room (or outside now that we are in Texas) to be like the shepherds.

After dinner we clean up and change out of the costumes into warm clothing.  We go outside and sing Christmas Carols around a camp fire.  Usually one of the kids plays the guitar while the rest of us sing along.  I'm so glad we can do this.  We try to roast marshmallows while we do this too!  Right - you gotta add some fun tasty treats. 

To finish the evening off, everyone gathers around the Christmas tree to open their Christmas pajamas (usually) - but this year we opened our pajamas earlier so that we could wear them for the Polar Express Train ride.  Tonight we changed into our pajamas and settled down in the family room to watch the Polar Express!  It's the best!  

Then everyone lays their stockings out for Santa (or checks to make sure they are hung) and off to bed we go!

December: Festival of Nativities

This is my last year of hosting the photo booth of costumes at the Festival of Nativities.  It is bitter-sweet.  It is a lot of work to put this on, but it also is one of my passions and one of my favorite things to do.  I love to sew, I love history, and I love having the opportunity to bring people closer to their savior by getting in that frame of mind by dressing in their attire and scenery. 

It's crazy to think this is my last year.  I organized my costumes on Wednesday, then spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Festival (for the 9th year). 

Here are photos of people I dress up:

Festival of Nativities

For the eighth tear in a row Betsy has assisted in the festival of nativities put on by the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints in Crestwood Kentucky. The first couple of years she dressed up the live nativity participants . For the last three years she has been in charge of running the photo booth where families or individuals can dress up in Sheppard, wise man, or other Costumes from the time of Christ birth and have their photo taken. Betsy provides all the costumes. She looks forward to making and revising costumes each year to keep them fresh and to have enough in the right sizes. This year it was a little more difficult as Betsy was recovering from her knee surgery.