When I was a child my mom’s family would take turns hosting their parents and brothers and sisters and their children on Christmas Eve. The parents would sit in the living room, smoking cigarettes, and drinking cocktails or beer. I imagine there was food, but I don’t remember it. Santa Claus would show up at some point and hand out presents. We knew it because we’d hear the sleigh bells and sometimes even noise on the roof where Santa’s sleigh was parked. Then came the mad scramble of opening presents, the shouts of joy, the tears, the happy parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles grinning at how the gifts they gave were received by the children.
Before or after Santa’s arrival (I’m thinking before) we cousins would gather in a bedroom or basement and plan a play to put on for the adults. Because I was the oldest, I was always the director, and probably the star. I don’t remember any of the plays’ subjects, but I remember having fun planning and performing to a tipsy and appreciative audience.
Cedar Waxwing's 365 
What wonderful memories!
This is great.
I always envied kids with large extended families to spend holidays with – your memories are wonderful.
Love it! And it sounds like the tipsy audience did too.
That’s fabulous. It reminds me a little of our Christmas nights spent with all my father’s siblings and their families. Though of course, we ran around outside and played games – sometimes including aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers too – until it got dark about 10 pm, which meant it was time for Christmas cake.