Beautiful Things

The most wonderful day — and night– of the year. I love Christmas Eve.

We’ll hang out at home most of the day. The kids are off from school and we’ll do some cooking and baking. Then we’ll go to 4:00 mass. I love the vigil masses. Years from now, when my kids are older, we’ll go to midnight mass. I love the magic of midnight mass- it is so beautiful–  but my kids are just too young to stay up for it. So it’s 4:00 mass this year, and there will be a packed crowd in a church that rarely sees its pews filled.

After mass we’ll come home and have a nice dinner and watch Christmas movies. Last year we went out to dinner on Christmas Eve, spur of the moment. It was unique and fun- we were the only ones in the restaurant!

We’ll write a note to Santa, and leave him some milk and cookies—and some lettuce and carrots for Rudolph and the other reindeer. Sometimes we toss a handful of reindeer food out into the yard—it’s oatmeal mixed with glitter and it sparkles if there’s snow on the ground.

 And later, when my kids are tucked in their beds, on the only night of the year they eagerly go up to their beds, I’ll take a minute and cherish the quiet magic of Christmas Eve.

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