It’s Christmas Eve! How did we get here?

Today’s post is all about Christmas Eve, which in many ways I prefer to Christmas Day. Why? Because it’s a more personal day in our household.

It’s a day to share in our own traditions, to have fun and family time. Work and school take up so much of the year, and the Christmas prep hits hard by the time we all wrap up, but today offers something special.

We get proper downtime.

When the wee one was actually wee, I’d start the day by leaving a note from Fia, our elf. Fia was named for Sofia the First – a show she loved.

I’m the afternoon, I’d sneak out the back door, press the doorbell, leave a Christmas Eve package outside and rush back into the house.

She’d be delighted, lifting up a box containing hot chocolate, a mug, a bath bomb, a cookie making kit and a magic key.

We’d make the cookies, then send her for a soak in the bath, then have hot chocolate with loads of cream and marshmallow, before scattering our reindeer food, a mix of oats and edible glitter, along the path and hanging the magic key on the door handle so Santa could get in.

Then it was off to bed where I’d read The Night Before Christmas and kiss her goodnight. We’d steal a few quiet hours to ourselves, usually with one of our favourite films, a drink and some last minute wrapping.

After planting the evidence of Santa’s visit, we’d toddle off to bed ourselves. And get what little sleep we could before the wee one came knocking on our bedroom door

Every home is different, but our Christmas Eve customs, even though they’ve changed somewhat since the truth about Santa came out, are something I really cherish.

These hours are ours, and nothing can change that.

Happy Christmas Eve folks!