Sorry these pictures uploaded in reverse order. This is our family seeing the Christmas lights at the Oakland Temple (we drove to California two days after Christmas). They were gorgeous!
Jordan, Bryce, and Matthew enjoying a magical Star Wars action figure moment Christmas morning.
Rachel wasn't quite sure what to think, but quickly caught on to the excitement of her first Cabbage Patch Doll.
Notice the sheer elation in Matthew's eyes-- Santa brought him a GameCube with Zelda Windwaker and Lego Star Wars games!
Elizabeth received a (finally) completed wooden dollhouse from her parents, plus furniture and accessories from Santa. Brent had been working on building the dollhouse off and on since her birthday in February! Sarah modge-podged on cute scrapbook papers that Elizabeth picked out. It's adorable!
Emma finally told Santa she wanted a train for Christmas. This is right up her alley.
The kids anxiously awaiting the moment they are allowed to come downstairs for their first peek Christmas morning!
Christmas Eve nativity play
Inside the stable at the living nativity* Putting up the tree and decorations while Manheim Steamroller Christmas music plays in the background
* Seeing the lights on Temple Square
*Christmas parties with family and friends
*Christmas concerts
* Singing with the ward choir
* Ward Christmas parties
* Christmas service projects
* Making plenty of hot wassail
* Making and sharing lots of Christmas goodies. This year, Matthew and Elizabeth each selected a new recipe to try together, and they turned out great! Matthew's was Candy Cane Coffee Cake, and Elizabeth's was Fudge-Topped Shortbread (both from Taste of Home).
* Driving around to see beautiful Christmas lights in the surrounding area, especially the Spanish Fork Festival of Lights and Salem Pond Town. This is especially appealing to Mom and Dad since we can entertain our kids without having to get them out of the car!
* Going to the Living Nativity in Alpine (it's called A Step Back in Time Living Nativity). This is probably the most meaningful Christmas tradition we have. It may be nice for our children to visit Santa each year, but much more important for them to visit a "real" baby Jesus in a stable!
* Acting out the Christmas story from the Bible on Christmas Eve, and watching the church's short film, The Nativity.
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