The eve of Christmas Eve

We spent the morning before Christmas Eve at the beach, enjoying the nice weather, and showing Mimi and Pop more of Xiamen. Growing up in New Hampshire, all my Christmases were surely white. I can't say I miss all that cold weather and snow (which we had in Indiana too). Although a white Christmas would be nice, cozied up next to a fire with hot chocolate. Provided, of course, that the driveway doesn't have to be shoveled and we don't need to get in the car to go anywhere and the snow disappears the next day. Until we're stateside again, I'll enjoy this different kind of holiday weather.

We spent the afternoon baking cookies for Santa Claus. Dag is under the impression that on Christmas, Santa will come over and we'll all eat cookies and drink milk together. Then we'll open our presents together too. I suppose that seems more reasonable than Santa sneaking into our house in the middle of the night.

We'll spend Christmas Eve preparing for Christmas dinner -- we've got some food shopping to do and some rolls to make. And of course, there are cookies to be set out and milk to be poured for a certain Santa Claus. Who will, unfortunately, not be able to sit down with us and enjoy his snack.

Tonight, before bed, Dagim saw these photographs on my computer and said "I remember that day." Um, yeah. That was today.

I hope your own holiday preparations are coming along smoothly. There is lots of excitement in our house. Most of it from a little boy who "can't wait! can't wait! can't wait!" for Christmas.