"Gifts to Jesus" box

Another one from Courtney...One tradition that is kind of neat is our "GIFT to JESUS" box. We always had this shiny present wrapped under the tree and on Christmas Day after all the presents were opened, we would have to write down a gift that we were going to give to Jesus that year (kind of like a new years resolution). An example could be reading scriptures daily or doing a small act of service for someone daily. It was fun to look back and see what the previous year's gift was and to reflect on how well we did.

Christmas Eve Fort Sleepover

One thing my family and I did growing up was to make forts. All the kids (there were 5 of us) slept in it on Christmas Eve up until we started getting married! In the morning, my mom would come and get us and take us one by one to the entry way of the living room, where the Christmas tree and all our presents were set out. We had to keep our eyes closed. She lined all of us up and we were just giddy in anticipation. On the count of 3, we could open our eyes and dash for our stockings (which was spaced out in different areas on the couches) and Santa present (which would be laid out, unwrapped, in front of our stocking). Thanks Courtney for this idea!

French Beignets

My parents visited a french cafe called Cafe du Monde in New Orleans while on a business trip before I even remember. They fell in love with the beignets (french doughnuts) served there and brought back the mix so we could make our own. This has become our Christmas morning breakfast along with bacon, scrambled eggs, and hash browns. They are so good! You can order the mix directly online at Cafe du Monde's website here. The mix is only about $2.50 per box. Shipping is pricey, but if you order by quantity, its quite a bit cheaper and the total box price comes to $3 something. Considering it makes at least 2-3 breakfasts worth, that's a good deal! And hey, you can even stop by our house on Christmas morning and try them!