Christmas Eve Traditions

Leaving Santa Cookies

On Christmas eve, the night before Christmas, children expect a visit from Santa and stockings are hung by the fireplace to collect gifts 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 napkin for Santa to dab his mustache. Santa loves festive napkins, but a plain napkin will do as well.

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 by clicking here. If the reindeer do not eat it the squirrels and birds will.

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