Party on Christmas Eve??

When I was a kid, I remember going to church on Christmas Eve, lighting the candle and singing, then heading home to race into bed so that Santa would come.  Well, it came as a shock to me that my wife said Christmas Eve was a huge party when she was growing up.  She and her family would go to church, complete with the Catholic 500 (a nickname I gave to the practice of getting up for communion, receiving the gifts, then instead of returning to your seat, you hit the exit door), then she would return to her house where upon all the family friends would appear and the party would last into the night complete with lots of food, booze, and merriment.  The kids would eventually be put to bed, but the party wouldn't stop.

Fast forward a bunch of years.  When Marlina and I got together and we were preparing to spend our first Christmas together, of course there was some culture shock on my part when she would describe the annual Christmas Eve bash.  We were both living in the city then, surrounded by friends who never needed a reason for a party.  I was in.  If it made my future wife happy, I did it.  And, of course, I am the guy who has been know to say that "Tuesday only happens once a week; you had better celebrate it."

We threw our first annual Christmas Eve party on 12/24/2003.  We have been going strong ever since Some years the attendance is larger than others, but we decided that it is pretty nice to gather with family and friends before Santa comes down the chimney.  Ours may not last as long as the ones that Marlina grew up with, but they do seem to give her a memory of her past that she cherishes.  And what an important part of the Christmas holidays that is.

And besides, Christmas Eve only comes once a year, you had better celebrate it!!