A few photos (none taken by me, I admit) of our family gathering for Christmas Eve at Grandma Berge’s house…

The tables are set, ready for everyone to arrive with the food!

Oh, dear, we can’t forget the candy canes! What a disappointment that would be to the little great-grandkids!

Getting out the after-dinner goodies (Oh, Grandma’s Christmas cookies are so good!)

Time for presents! Tradition dictates a (roughly) youngest-to-oldest order of opening.

Grandma receives a Thank You-Hug from great-grandson Thomas.

Adorable Erina.

And big sister Annika, quite the young lady!

Here’s my favorite. You’ll have to click on it to catch the precious detail of Katrina, gleefully grinning her head off amid the hubbub of present-opening.

Thomas and half of John enjoying their new wind-up flashlights on the stairs.

Simeon and Elijah, “posing” in front of the tree.

There you have it. A Christmas Eve filled with joy, especially the joy of knowing that, come what may in this life, we’ll all be together for eternity, when Christ comes for the second time!

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.