Our Christmas festivities begin the first of December when the decorations go up.  My mother decorates EVERY room in her house from top to bottom so I just usually put up a little tree at my house.  (I have had to work the past several years right up until Christmas Eve anyway in retail.)

We have an annual ornament exchange party the first Saturday for the ladies at 2 p.m. followed by our big Happy Birthday Jesus party when the men join the fun.  For a few years now, we have had several musicians come so we have wonderful music well into the night to worship the Lord. Everyone brings their favorite holiday dish so we eat way too much.  Since we are Christians, none of us drink alcohol, but we get 'drunk' in the joy of friends and holiday cheer.

Christmas Eve, we have a French fondue dinner.  We all dress in black and have even worn berets.  I learned about this from Mrs. Grewal in about 10th Grade and we have enjoyed it every year since.  We usually invite someone to join us who never had fondue before and that adds to the fun.  Tradition says that if you drop your meat in the pot, then you have to "Kiss the Cook".  Daddy often tries to claim that role...even though he didn't help in the kitchen!  Hopefully my boys will carry this tradition on to their families.

On Christmas morning, my kids each get a stocking and an inexpensive, unwrapped gift from "Santa"...yes, even still at 23 and 25!  Then they get 3 presents since Jesus got 3 when he was born.  Just as the magi gave their very best, I also give them the best that I can afford.  I told them once that it could be a mansion, a yacht, and a limousine...if I were that rich... but its usually more like clothes (an outfit or a few items gets wrapped as 1), something that they collect, and one large item like Andrew wants a freezer this year.

We usually eat enchiladas for dinner Christmas day because we are so turkey-ed out from Thanksgiving and we usually have a big dinner at the church with a ham.  I do make turkey enchiladas that I have won contests with so they hit the spot.

The biggest thing about Christmas is that we celebrate the Birth of Jesus with those who we love.  Jesus really is "The Reason for the Season!"