Christmas Eve 2025

Before this turns into ancient history, let’s record how Christmas Eve went this year.

We crammed a lot into this night, but it was a good “lot.”

At least to me.

Because Dave and I had our kids be in charge of it all.

As these kids grow we are working more and more to find a balance between “directing traffic” as the “masters of ceremonies” and letting the kids lead, facilitating from the sidelines…or even the bleachers. Our sister and brother-in-law had their adult kids lead the whole Pothier family Christmas party and we decided to do the same on Christmas Eve.

Oh, we will always be the parents, and I hope they will always feel the love and goodness and Jesus we’ll always work to infuse into the air we share. But they, of course, are the ones who choose what stakes they want to put in the ground, and what to lean into.

Over the last few years I’ve found they have started to learn so much more from each other than they do from us. Which is a beautiful thing.

And they are teaching us so much as they grow.

Jerusalem Supper

Lucy was in charge of the Jerusalem supper and got the table all set up with the nativity like she always does.

Murphy was into it.

We had our traditional chicken tikka masala as well as my latest concoction of sourdough bread…

…and we sat around and discussed those parts of the nativity Lucy had put on our plates.

One by one, we added them to the stable in the middle of the table.

As always, I loved that part.

Nativity Discussion

Claire and Grace were assigned to finish the special slideshow we had started back on “Christmas Sunday” for our FHE meeting. The slideshow was from a friend of a friend and filled up with scriptures and videos and thoughts about the different people in the nativity. It was SO good, and those two did a great job directing the questions and thoughts displayed from the computer to the television.

Christmas Pajamas

Don’t for a minute think that this was all calm and peaceful (although it does look peaceful…and a bit boring in that photo above!). There are so many moving pieces, especially Ada and Murphy bouncing around.

We took a good break between the discussions to open matching pjs and have an impromptu dance party before Max and Abby tucked the little girls in bed.

Names of Christ Discussion

Elle and Carson were in charge of the “Names of Christ” part of the evening where everyone held a candle and “shared” their light with the next person in the circle as they shared one of the names of Christ that meant most to them this year…how He had shown up personally for them.

Oh I loved this part so much. Hearing how Jesus has shown up. I love that there are so many names by which Jesus is called, and that He can show up so differently for each of us according to what we are going through.

Service

And Max & Abby were in charge of leading the discussion about how everyone had done with their Christmas assignment: giving away the gift cards we had given the kids at the beginning of the season. This turned out to be a pretty special discussion, including favorite parts of the meal at La Mesa Ministries the night before, and all the different conversations that were had.

Sibling Gift Exchange

Then it was time for my favorite part of every Christmas: sibling gift exchange.

It never disappoints.

Midnight Mass

Elle requested to go to Midnight Mass and of course I wasn’t going to turn that down.

So after all the festivities, Elle, Carson, Claire and I drove into the city (everyone else opted to stay to wrap up the rest of what they needed to). We stood in standing-room-only at the back and let the beautiful music and messages wash over us. Then slipped along the dark of the freeway back to home.

Where of course WAY more work awaited than I had thought. But there was something special about being alone in the solace of that quiet house in the wee hours of Christmas morning.