Christmas Eve and Morn

The Christmas season flew by for us this year! On Christmas Eve, we had some of my closest girlfriends and their husbands over for our biannual Christmas Eve brunch. I didn't take any pictures but it is a wonderful tradition!

After Christmas Eve Mass, we gathered at Nana and Pop's for traditional codfish dinner. I snapped a photo of the five cousins in front of the tree.

Bilharacos (butternut squash doughnuts) are another delicious Portuguese tradition! 

Back at home, we sprinkled reindeer food on the front lawn

and wrote a note to Santa 

to leave next to the milk and cookie and Hershey's kiss.

So excited for Santa!

On Christmas morning, as is our tradition, no one gets out of bed until we hear Santa's bell and his hearty "Ho Ho Ho!" Then we rush downstairs to our stockings. Santa always leaves us a note (I don't know how he finds the time to do that!) and Will read it eagerly this year. It directed the kids to a spot behind the Christmas tree

where they found brand new fishing poles!

The stockings were full of nuts, oranges, chocolates, CDs, and much more!

Christmas coffee with a huge dollop of whipped cream! 

We don't buy the boys a lot of toys throughout the year, so Christmas is incredibly exciting. They got a great mix of items on their wish lists and surprises (like the fishing poles). A few highlights:

Henry loves his new Reptangles (turtles that snap together; this boy love building and turtles!).

Santa brought Magnatiles to go with his Magformers. 

Will asked Santa for a build-it-yourself-robot.

A beautiful new necklace for me.

Books, books, books! 

A new Wii U game for both boys

and a sewing kit for Henry.

We got tons of outdoor gear this year too -- a camp stove for Gene,

a 12-in-1 tool for each boy,

and a new go-everywhere watch for Henry.

We're foodies too, so Gene got a craft beer cookbook and some cheese paper

 

 and two new kitchen towels that say "Eat More Pie." 

We had a delightful morning celebrating Christmas at home!