I can’t believe Christmas is here. It comes too fast every year, but it feels especially early this year! I know everyone’s Christmas looks a little different, so I thought I would share what Christmas looks like at my house.

Christmas really starts on Christmas Eve at our house. The elves bring a small treat to put in everyone’s shoes for the week leading up to Christmas. On Christmas Eve, the kids wake up and run down to get their last treat from the elves before the Head Elf himself leaves gifts for Christmas morning. Christmas Eve day is full of anticipation. We usually play a couple games and tidy up the house in preparation for all the celebrating. I like to have a few goodies set out on a board for snacking throughout the day. The real festivities begin early evening. For dinner, we do German pancakes (a family favorite), and a breakfast skillet with potatoes, eggs, and cheese. I try to get some fun Christmas paper plates and cups to make the meal festive and easy to clean up!

After dinner, we have a special Christmas Eve program. Everyone does something to participate. This year my son will play God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen on the piano, and my girls will sing Peace in Christ while I accompany them. All the kids will sing Away on a Manger, and my husband and I will probably play a couple piano solos. We always read the Christmas story from Luke 2, as well as one of the stories from my father-in-law’s Christmas book he wrote and published.

The lights are turned down low, we sit by the Christmas tree and piano, and we reverently and peacefully reflect on our Savior and celebrate his birth through music, stories, poems, and scriptures.

After our special program, the partying starts. Everyone opens their Christmas pajamas and presents from siblings, parents, grandparents, etc. My husband grew up in a German household with Christmas celebrated on the 24th, so we have adopted some of those traditions and open most of our presents on Christmas Eve.

The next morning, we run downstairs to see what Santa has brought! He always wraps the entryway, which makes it so fun to run through for the kids, and makes sure there’s no early peeking ;).

Santa brings each person one present, fills their stocking, and leaves a few family gifts, like games, puzzles and snacks.

The morning is spent opening and admiring our new gifts, and a big breakfast of biscuits and gravy and leftover breakfast skillet. In the afternoon we visit my in-laws and the kids tell them all about their new gifts. The evening is spent at my parents', where we play a gift exchange game in which you roll doubles (with dice) and can steal people’s gifts. We always laugh ourselves silly playing this game because we bring presents that are sure to cause a laugh, and often involve some inside joke from that year. It’s such a fun way to end the day.

I know everyone’s Christmas looks different. I love how our Christmas looks. It’s a mixture of traditions from my husband’s childhood, my childhood, and a few new ones of our own. And I love it. I love spending time with my little family. They’re growing up so fast, and I’m trying to soak in every little moment. Christmas is definitely magical with my little ones :).

How does your Christmas look? I’d love to hear all about it! Share with us in the comments below!