Christmas Eve is almost as big as an event as Christmas Day for me. With a plethora of family, food, and fun, it’s an evening I look forward to all year long.
Last night’s Christmas Eve celebration took place at my grandmother’s house. Some years my aunt Amy hosts the family, but with such a big groupāāwe had almost 30 people last nightāāmy Grammie’s house, with lots of entertaining space, was the place to be the night before Christmas.
The evening started with appetizers and wine.
I helped myself to all sorts of nibbles.
And a small glass of red wine. (I was still sick, but I rationalized that a little alcohol might help ādry me up.āĀ Ha!)
My Grammie, the hostess with the mostess, and my sister!
My sister and my cousin, Meeghan!
The cousins!
My sister, mom, and me!
Dinner was a catered buffet with all the fixings.
The steak tips were especially amazingāāso tender and so flavorful!
After dinner, it was time to pick numbers for the Yankee Swap.
The game quickly turned into swapping mayhem!
The Yankee Swap was a lot of fun this year; there were some hilarious presents in the mix!
I ended up with a Sugared Apple Yankee Candle, so I was psyched!
After the Yankee Swap, it was time for dessert.
Holy dessert spread!
I enjoyed a piece of cake and a couple of CrĆĀØme de Menthe Cookies that I baked for the get-together.
All in all, it was a fabulous Christmas Eve!
How do you typically spend your Christmas Eve?
23 Comments
Merry Christmas! Looks like a fun time. We usually go to church, come home for chili, do presents and go to bed to prepare for stockings and family fun the next day with more presents and stockings. Lots o’fun.
Merry Christmas Tina.
Christmas Eve is our big night–church, dinner, presents!
Looks like a fun time!! We used to go to my grandma’s when she was alive, but now we rotate between other family members… this year it was at my parents’ house. It was fun & full of snacks!
Fun! Christmas Eve is my birthday! So we normally go out to eat. But I was sick (boo :/) so we just stuck around the house. Then we went to church.
You and your sister look so much alike! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Looks like such a fun time! We spend Christmas Even hopping from one family party to the next (it’s even more crazy since I got married), and end the evening at a service at my home church. It’s the best!
We always go to my parents for Christmas Eve with my siblings after the Christmas Eve service at church. There was so much food. I had way too many sweets! Christmas only comes once!
I love Christmas Eve. I like it more than Christmas! I have two little kids so Christmas is a little stressful. On Christmas Eve we eat a bunch of finger foods for dinner (pigs in a blanket, dips, cheese and crackers) and just relax. Looks like you had a wonderful time š
Looks like so much fun! I have never heard of Yankee Swap but we do something similar called White Elephant. Hope you are feeling better!
Looks like some fun festivities! We spend our Christmas Eve with my mom’s extended family. This year it was at our house since it’s too hard for my grandma to host, or even my mom host at their place. I was the most excited about the Glugg and had 2 small glasses and could have gone for a bit more. š
I envy you having so many family members together. Mine are all on the east coast or in the bay area. So I went to a pot luck meet up for orphans at a bar where they had blue grass music. Met some wonderful people. So glad I forced myself to gothis.
So much family and good food – looks great!
Merry Christmas!
a little wine always makes you “feel better” lol. Merry Christmas!
I just saw your roast on your latest post. Looks amazing. Are you picky about it being “happy, free range or hormone free” stuff? My family only had a grain-fed, generic, skin on raosted turkey for dinner…and I ate it and will be eating leftovers for a while. I feel “bad” for not eating “happy” animal products, but trying not to obsess I guess.
Do you eat a lot of leftovers the next day?
Much exercise? I really only do walking and feel kinda guilty for treating myself and just sitting around. I don’t have a gym and live with retired people so it’s impossible to do circuit/noisy workouts in the very tiny apartment (impossible: even light marching in place is noisy). Its freezing outside and I’m not into jogging to be honest. Thoughts? I also feel I “should” be doing something and its ruining the whole “live in the moment” thing.
Check out this post about my feelings about the meat I eat: http://carrotsncake.com/2012/11/grocery-shopping-q-a.html As far as leftovers, I eat them all the time. No food goes to waste in our house!
As for exercise, I didn’t exercise at all yesterday. I wanted to spend the day with family and enjoy the holiday, so exercise didn’t even cross my mind to tell you the truth!
@Tina:
thanks. So was your christmas feast “happy” or no? Just curious because where I live there will never be “better” options, just the generic, grocery store. …boo.
Also, I totally understand about the exercise . YOU deserve time off, you will get back into it. The problem with me is that I’m confined to short, lazy walks and nothing more and yet induldging…I’ll never “catch up” or start off right. It’s …discouraging and makes the guilt for indulging harder. I find myself wanting things but uncertain about it due to the guilt. Sucks.
@Rach:
I would suggest smaller portions and longer walks. Subscribe to a fitness/healthy living magazine!
It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas Eve! We usually do a potluck dinner with my mom’s side of the family followed by cookies and board games. Christmas Day is when we do our big turkey dinner!
Cocktail party at our neighbors house! Lots of delicious eats and wine were consumed. My favorite was a salmon tartare that the hostess made. It was so good and she gave me a large batch to take home with me. Cannot wait to have those leftovers tonight. š
That’s so neat you’re family is so large, it looks like you all have so much fun together!!!
Christmas Eve is my favorite part of Christmas!! My whole family gathers at my nan’s house and we have tourtiere (a french canadian pork and potato pie – sooo yummy!), salad and cherry cheesecake for dessert. We open one present (which is always a board game) and play it all night!
I started reading your blog earlier this year and absolutely love it. You are inspiring and motivating especially for getting some workouts in during the holiday season! Just wondering, what are those desserts in the large bowls, some kind of pudding?
Ones a chocolate triffle and one is a berry triffle. I didn’t try them, but they looked delicious!