Christmas Eve Traditions

The Wisniew family has many traditions. We have some with my more extended family, my dad's brother and sister and their spouses and kids, and with our immediate Big Wisniew clan. We are called the Big Wisniews and my dad's brother's family is called the Little Wisniews. My dad's sister's family are the Currahs. Our Grandma Dawnee, my dad's mom, lives in a nursing home in Shoreline (Crista). The Currahs live in Tacoma, and us Wisniews live in Everett. We are separated by Big and Little because not only is my dad the oldest brother, making him bigger by default, our family is larger as well. We have 5 kids and so far the Little Wisniews only have 3. Anyway.

Our Wisniew-Currah tradition is to celebrate and exchange gifts on Christmas eve. I guess this is what my dad's family did as kids. So we hold to the tradition. This year, we drove to Tacoma for the party. We did a secret Santa gift exchange and chose names on Thanksgiving, which the Little Wisniews hosted. So since Thanksgiving we've been getting things ready for our secret person. I had my little 2 year old cousin Helena, of the Little Wisniew clan, and I got her a monkey board game.

As soon as all three families arrived, we ate a late lunch/early dinner (around 3pm), and did the gift exchange after that.

During the gift exchange, it started snowing!!

After the presents, all us kids went outside to play in the snow and we ate our dessert (brownies), in the snow. Eventually we left and braved the snowstorm back to our warm cozy house where apple cider and Christmas music was waiting.

Our close family traditions also include a secret Santa. We do a SS between the siblings every year and once or twice we've opened the SS gifts on Christmas eve. I had my sister, and I got her a journal (she's been letting us all know she needs a new one), and a Dutch Bros gift card because coffee is her favorite thing. If you buy her coffee, you win her heart. This year, we're saving all the presents for Christmas day. On the night of Christmas eve, my mom, sister and I ususally watch a Christmas movie and make goodies and wrap presents. This year, my mom and I watched New Girl while I wrapped my brothers' presents and my mom made her sunflower seed butter cups and peppermint cups. They are basically like Reese's peanut butter cups but dairy, gluten, nut and everything free.

Then I went to bed, excited for presents and chill family time and bunny snuggles on Christmas day.

Merry Christmas to all,

Holls be Jolls