At last - the glowing tree! and other tales from Christmas Eve

It was our second year here in Houston at Christmas, and we did a few of the same things as last year - so I think some traditions have been born!  The kids (well, Leighton, really) certainly had their minds set on doing certain things of Christmas Eve, so I am guessing these things are going to be part of our celebration every year.

Last year I tried to give the kids some holiday-themed snacks and foods, just like at Halloween.  Here was their veggie side at lunch time:

The kids and Roy took their bikes to the Bellaire train playground to ride around the tree, just as they did last year.  New this year as a quick trip to Menchie's for them afterward.  You know, because there aren't enough sugary treats on offer around Christmas!  And while they were out, I cooked and baked and decorated.  We were off to Luke & Douniazed's for Christmas Eve dinner again this year and I was bringing scalloped potatoes again and also offered to bring another cake.  But they were expecting a much bigger group this year (but at the last minute it was only about half the number expected) so I figured I better bring 2 cakes.  And there were so many different designs (and flavors!) I wanted to try, anyway!

coconut cake with coconut cream filling and coconut buttercream

chocolate cake with swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate mint buttercream filling

Luke & Douniazed had sparkling apple juice for the kids again.  Leighton loved his, and Riley … not so much.  Check out her unimpressed face after the cheers and first taste!

It was pretty cold this year, so no outside playtime.  But Riley entertained us all with a good amount of maraca and bum shaking!

And then some interpretive dance during dessert.

After dinner we were off for a drive around to see Christmas lights.  Leighton had been talking about this for weeks.  And weeks.  This was one tradition we could not under any circumstances alter or omit!

And then it was time for bath and new jam jams (I wasn't planning on that this year since the kids don't need any more but Leighton mentioned it to Roy so I figured it out at the last minute!) and the last book of the advent calendar and cookies and egg nog for Santa and carrots for the reindeer and a few pictures and kisses and cuddles and bedtime ….

…. make that bedtime for the KIDS.  Not for ME!  It was time for ME to START wrapping.  Not finish, but start.  I had to do it aaaaalllllllllll in one night.  Last year I got so much done while Riley napped and Leighton was at school so I didn't have much to do Christmas Eve.  No naps this year = no wrapping ahead of time.  I must say that the built ins we have in the big living room in our new house make wrapping so much easier though.  The top is at the PERFECT height for wrapping.  No more hunching over the table or floor and getting a sore back after 3+ solid hours of wrapping!

But those hours spent wrapping transformed our (glowing) tree from this:

to this!