In this photo, G'ma Linda is talking to Ben on Christmas Eve about the nativity. She likes to place it under the tree. We have lots of special family traditions. For many years, each Christmas Eve, we always read T'was the Night Before Christmas as the last thing before bed for the kids. Mostly G'pa read, but sometimes Greg would read it, and always, we enjoyed the 'settling down for the night' part of that tradition. Another tradition I learned about was Christmas Stockings with the Murray family. WOW! Christmas socks where always filled with really great things from perfume to jewelry and candy and could be opened before everyone else awoke! Trying to remember Christ in Christmas, each year, I hang a 'Happy Birthday' banner on my tree on Christmas morning....it makes people who see it stop and ask..."whose Birthday is it?" and I get to tell them about the tradition. One of our family's best traditions...Breakfast Casserole! I grew up with that one and now it's second generation strong. YUM! You make it the night before and pop it in the oven on Christmas morning and by the time it is ready, the whole house has a wonderful aroma! Here's the recipe - courtesy of my MOM:
1 pound of link sausage, cooked and cut in 3rds, 6 slices of white bread, cubed. 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese, 4 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 t dry mustard and 2 cups milk. Layer, sausage, bread and cheese (end with a layer of cheese on top) in deep casserole. Mix wet ingredients and pour over top of the dry layers. Let stand overnight. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes.