My favorite Christmas tradition

"Christmas Eve Gift!!!" Those are the words of the day. The sooner you say them, the better. In years past I've been known to call my grandpa at 5 am and when he groggily answers the phone, shout with triumph "Christmas Eve Gift!!!"
So what does that mean? Well it's a bit like it sounds, but not quite. Supposedly whoever says Christmas Eve Gift first out of the whole family (ie myself and my grandpa since no one else ever really cared enough to play lol)  gets to open one present on Christmas Eve. Though much to the consternation of my 5 year-old self (oh who am I kidding my 27 year-old self too) the winner (aka me, I don't think Grandpa has ever won, and don't even suggest that he rigs it, I've won fair and square for the past several years...) doesn't actually get to open a present on Christmas Eve. But bragging rights? They be mine!
So you can imagine that when I woke up a few minutes before 7 this morning, even though my kids were still asleep, I snuck out of my room to call Grandpa. He didn't answer (I don't know whether he fell back asleep or if he's avoiding my calls and planning a sneak attack... I'd like to think the latter but most likely he's snoozing in his recliner with CNN on in the background), so now I am waiting to call him again when Bella wakes up, then she and I can shot together "Christmas Eve Gift!!!"

Other traditions we are doing/starting will be, Mexican food for Christmas Eve then baths for the kids and letting them open one present (new pajamas, they do something similar in Danny's family). Then we are making sugar cookies with the kiddos and taking some pictures.

This will be our first year alone for Christmas. Normally we would drive to my grandparents house, but there are 15 of us and my grandpa's living room is sort of small. When I was a kid it would be overflowing with presents. Even with only 7 of us back then, we wouldn't have room to walk. Now that my grandpa is in a wheelchair, and my mom's cousin Mona moved to town (and she needs a walker) and we have 6 kids people are buying presents for, there simply is not enough room and it was becoming hazardous to people's health. And if you know me, I'm in just as much danger of falling and getting hurt as my almost 90-year-old grandfather!
So we are skyping the opening of Christmas presents this year. I'm wondering if we can record while we skype so that everyone can see?
Anyway I still have a ton of gifts to wrap tonight, and I forgot to get stuff for stockings but my mom had them all made for the kids so I'm going to write a letter on the computer in fancy lettering that thanks the kids for the cookies and that says the stockings were left at Nana's house already cause Santa thought we would be there.
So we have presents from my side of the family and from Danny's side of the family, plus some little things we were able to buy (it's super expensive to buy for 4 kids all around the same age... I was very sad we could not buy the oldest 3 a Fisher Price iXL like we wanted too, but I think they will get them sooner rather than later, if not for them, then for my sanity).
So Christmas morning will be pretty magical, even though we have a Charlie Brown Christmas tree (on a side note- I've told Danny and my side of the family, all I want for my birthday is for everyone to pitch in and by me a 9 ft pre-lit tree when they go on sale here in a few days).
I'm very excited, pictures to follow of The Stephen's Magical Christmas!