This year was our best year yet. We learned from past fiascoes that the first activity that we should do was to eat because hungry children aren't happy children. So the first rule was to eat the first thing.
We also learned that we (the moms) have to have all of our food prepared ahead of time because we need "our head to be in the game" when all of the children are together. We need to be running the activities and averting disasters instead of mixing sauces. So the second rule was no cooking at the house. Kristen further calmed chaos with planning. She invited all of the children in to sit down and watch a book reading on Christmas oranges. While the children were watching their book the parents were preparing the kid's plates of food. When the touching Christmas message was over the children were given their own Christmas orange and escorted to a plate full of food. Brilliant.
Our third rule was that we needed to do the things that we care about the most first because you never know how long the kids will cooperate before mutiny happens. So after the kids ran outside and played (forgive me for being grateful for global warming and our warmish Christmas in SLC) and after Mark did this dishes (his harden fast rule that the hostess doesn't clean the meal) we called the kids back in the house for the Christmas Nativity play. Now, Emily has enlightened me of the folly of putting costumes on children and expecting reverence and a spiritual experience. With my reduced expectations I thought it went fabulously well. Never mind the fight to be Mary from two of the youngest girls. Never mind that you can't get any of the older boys to be Joseph. They all wanted to be the sheep and cows, lay accross the floor, make lots of noise, and appear cool.
The Christmas play morphed into our talent show where the children could play their instruments. Looking back, I don't think that we got to see very much this year. We lost their attention there.
The children went and played while we prepared for the next activity...Christmas Bingo. Kristen even had wrapped presents for the winners. And they were all winners. Blue ribbon for the boy presents and green ribbon for the girl presents. Brilliant.
After that activity we had gingerbread cookie decorating. We have much simplified this tradition. No cake decorating bags, just bowls of frosting. It worked very well.
We ended the night with dessert.
All of the organization and planning made it possible for the moms and dads to enjoy one another's conversation. I had so much fun. It is so easy to let Christmas Eve go by with out really celebrating and enjoying the day. I will really miss my family that lives in Utah.
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