Christmas Eve Nativity

This Christmas my family finally decided to do a lot more things centered around Christ than just be the "Gimmie Gimmies Gifts" that we had previously characterized ourselves to be. We did Christmas for a family enstead of sibling gifts and then we actually did a nativity re-enactment (which was SO FUN). I know most people read the the bible story or do something nativity-like regularly on Christmas Eve like good Christian families should, but my family had kind of strayed into Babylon so-to-speak the last few years and Christmas was simply family drama and alright "lets see what you got me."
This year everyone was there (except for Mark who is still in Hungary on the mish). And it was so fun. We had Christmas Eve at Tallies new house and it was perfect for our manger scene with angels above...see pics. I keep telling myself its just too hard to pack up all the gifts and do Christmas up north every year, and that I really should just stay home and have Christmas with ourselves....but when I am up there....especially over Christmas Eve with my siblings, I dont know its just so much fun, and it would be lame without them all. And it would be lame for them without us too...we are the life of the party you know.

Me (pre-costume) and Jaq (post costume) as a sheep

Joseph (Mason) and Mary (Anna)

...and Baby Jesus (Gaven) watched over by a very protective, motherly angel (Tallie)

The Shepherds with their sheep

The wise men bringing gifts (of apparently Hershey's chocolate chips)--Brett, Neal, and Scott and my dad who narrated

Angels: me, Tallie, Krista (my sisters) and my mom

All of us Mason clan. Oh yea, notice that Seth is the ONLY one not dressed up? Anytime anyone came near him with a robe, sheet, or anything that resembled a costume he threw a fit! He wanted nothing to do with looking like a shepherd or anything about this nativity business. That's Seth for ya.And then I had to add this one cause it showed the wilder side of Christmas Eve. My mom gave all the grandkids these colorful, squooshy ball things and they had pillow fights with them. It was pretty funny.