Saturday, December 27, 2008

Christmas Eve Dinner

As was the tradition at my Italian Grandmother's home (Nani), we always have Italian Sausages with onions and green peppers on Christmas Eve. We make sandwiches out of them, served on Hoagie style buns. Yum-yum! I like to make extra and then use the leftover sausages, veggies and even the drippings in my eggs the next morning...which is exactly what we did!

I put about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, then saute the onions and pepper for about 5 minutes, then add the sausages and turn them once. This dinner, which we have a couple of times per month takes about 30 minutes to make from start to plate!

After dinner we have a birthday cake for Jesus, and sing Happy Birthday. We also usually attend the candlelight service at our church. They have a special Children's Service at 3pm and 5pm, then about 7 other services at various times. We did not attend any of the services this year since the baby wasn't feeling well. I really miss it, at the end of the service our Pastor, Adam Hamilton darkens the whole sanctuary (which seats 3,000) and then they light the Purple Advent candle, and then several people light a candle from that one candle, and then they go out to us and we light our candles row by row, and soon the whole sanctuary is lit up with light...all the while we are singing Silent Night. It is so moving...I always cry and have a hard time holding my candle and drying my eyes at the same time! I must be there next year, I am really sad I missed it!

2 comments:

Sally said...

Maureen! I loved the service this year. Next time call me and I will tell you how to watch it on the internet! Or, i will watch your baby. You just let me know. It was a very inspiring service, I went at 5pm and then again at 11pm!

maureen said...

Thanks Sally! We would have been at the 5pm and the girls would have been singing. We won't miss it next year, I guarantee it!