Saturday, December 24, 2011

What Are Your Favorite Christmas Eve Traditions?

Leaving Santa Cookies

On Christmas eve, the night before Christmas, children expect a visit from Santa.  It is customary to read children some Christmas stories to complete their evening. The classic The Night Before Christmas is by far, the most popular short story of all. Reading stories in front of the fireplace with some hot chocolate will get the kids settled down and ready for bed. Then leave cookies for Santa and he will leave some crumbs and a note behind.

Make fresh cookies. Whether you plan on leaving chocolate chip or Santa's favorite, frosted sugar cookies, Santa prefers homemade to store-bought cookies. Put the cookies on a decorative Christmas plate. Leave at least ten cookies. Make sure that there will still be cookies for Santa after Mom and Dad have eaten a few themselves.

Leave a glass of milk or eggnog with the cookies. Keep the milk or eggnog in the refrigerator and have Mom and Dad put it out before they go to bed. Santa loves icy cold milk.

Leave the cookies in a place where Santa will see them. Place them on the fireplace hearth or near the Christmas tree. Leave a note to tell Santa where the cookies are if you have to hide them from the dog.

Leave a note by the cookies. Let Santa know how thankful you are for his visit to your house. Sometimes Santa has been know to write notes back to good children.

You can also have the kids throw Reindeer Food out in the yard for the reindeer before bed. See our recipe posted yesterday. If the reindeer do not eat it the squirrels and birds will.

Click here to see original article at ehow.com

4 comments:

Steph 6 said...

watching christmas movies with family and going to bed early excited for Santa

Lisa said...

Favorite one with my own family is Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at my family's home church. My sister FBd yesterday that she and my aunt were involving in the prepping of the candles for it.

My charge has informed me that her plan is to wake up early tomorrow. Get her sister up, her parents, then one knock on my apt. door and she's barging in. :) I told her not before 7:00. Her one gift from me is literally a clock from me. I may give it to her today. :)

Tobago Nanny said...

Same here the candle light service at church!

Patti said...

Just putting a log in the fireplace. Watch some Christmas movies. Sometimes having a Christmas Eve party. Going to bed early to wait for Santa.