Christmas Eve

Each year I wait 365 days for Christmas Eve to reappear.  The transformation into the Christmas season is the most wonderful time of the year.  In my family we prepare for a long night of eating and rejoicing with our loved ones.  My Aunt is the world's best cook and she cooks an overabundance of food for a group of 25 or more. The gifts under the Christmas tree bring a feeling of happiness and love that fills the house.  We retake an annual cousin photo every year in front of the beautiful tree in my Aunt's living room.  At midnight some of the boys go to mass while the girls clean up dinner and prepare dessert.  I will always remember this night as one of my favorites since I was a child.  Even though we have lost some family members over the years, our eve has increased in size with new family members

Vocabulary
appear -to come into sight; become visible
transformation- change in form, appearance, nature, or character
rejoice- to be glad; take delight
overabundance - an excessive amount
midnight- the middle of the night; twelve o'clock at night
prepare- to get (a meal) ready for eating, as by proper assembling, cooking, etc
increase- to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality

Vocabulary Activity
Fill in the correct vocabulary word from the list above.
1. The stages of change from an egg to a butterfly is the process of _______________.
2. After a long day of trick or treating, I came home with an _______________ of candy.
3. When the clock strikes ____________ Cinderella must return home.
4. Thanksgiving is a day that one must ___________ for in advance. 
5. It ___________ to be a sunny day outside. 
6. If I work more hours, my pay check will ___________.
7. A weekend well spent is when I can _____________ with my friends or family.


Grammar Point
A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. The underlined words in the passage above contain a prefix. List the part of each of the underlined words that is the prefix of the word.