Originally Posted by clem55

Everyone comes here for Xmas Eve. We have lots of snack foods, , drinks and laughter. Thern we all gather in the living room and open gifts. I guess the "traditional "part of that is making fun of what Mom picks out for the guys. I use to try very hard to buy clothes I just knew they would love, only to have it be something they would take back. It got to the place I don't even bother taking the price tag off anymore, and just buy something to wrap including the receipt! It gives us lots of laughs, no hurt feelings or anything. "Mom just refuses to give a gift card or money!! Then on Xmas morning they all come back and we have a big breakfast together . One little thing that is done every year is a certain decoration I put out. Back in the late 50's Joy detergent hadf little elves that hung arounde the bottler. We couldn't afford to go buy cute things, but we managed to get two of those. Those little elves hang around a candle every year. That is for Don and I. We are reminded every year how different things were for us, and makes us appreciate all that we have now. another is the "spercial gift" decoration. It is a beautiful silver and sparkly poinsttia that lays flat on a gift box. In 1960 Don did without his lunch so he could buy me a cashmere sweater for Xmas. That tag was on the box, and it gets used every year as the marker for the "special gift". Our kids have no idea what those two items mean to us, that is just for us.