Pretty much every year since Joe and I have been together we go to one or the other's family home for Christmas so I will describe both typical Christmas Eve's in short.
Ovitz Family
On Christmas Eve, my family attends a Candle Light Christmas Eve service. Then after church, we will have a Family Dinner at my parents house with my parents and my brother (David) and his wife (LaDonna). Christmas Eve with my family is a low stress and relaxing evening when we enjoy the company of family and prepare for the arrival of the Big Man (Santa, not Jesus... Jesus would be way cooler though).
English Family
Christmas Eve with Joe's family is very different and the terms low stress and relaxing definitely do not apply. The chaos begins as everyone (8 people) gets ready to attend a Catholic Mass. Yes, 8 people getting ready in a house with only 1 shower. Then it is off to church where about 1,000 people are crammed into a church built for 400. This is where we meet up with the rest of Joe's family and our party size goes from 8 to about 30. After mass everyone heads over to Joe's Grandma's house (Granny). Granny prepares quite a feast for everyone to enjoy on the eve of our savior's birth and once you have had a chance to enjoy some of her cooking she then cons you into doing a shot of Old Crow Whiskey with her. It is quite impressive to see this little 90 year old lady put down shot after shot with multiple members of the family. Following the food, everyone gathers in the living room to watch Granny open her gifts. Its really enjoyable that everyone gets to be with Granny as she opens her gifts. Finally, everyone pulls a number out of a hat to play a monster game of White Elephant / Dirty Santa Gift Exchange (tacky gifts). With all this crammed into the span of a few hours, finally getting off to bed is a welcome relief.
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little eloquent notes... ❤