25 Days of Christmas with the Dingmans: 24th Day: Christmas Eve

On the 24th day of our 25 Days of Christmas it was Christmas Eve! The days all went by so fast but here it was already: Christmas Eve. For Christmas Eve we incorporated a little bit of this and a little bit of that to make it uniquely us.

We made seven fish as a take on 'Feast of Seven Fishes' an Italian Christmas Eve tradition and we also had it with some cornbread as a nod to our current southern digs. Tricia brought home a thin mint cheesecake from a local Parkville restaurant for dessert and it was divine. As is tradition we dressed up to nines for dinner and mass and took pictures in front of the tree.

The Dingmans Christmas Eve '12

Sixth Christmas together!

Dad & Marshall

Mommy & Marshall

Auntie 'Bob-bob' & Marshall

2/3 Sisters Picture (Miss you Ang!)

Little man all dressed up

Passing out ornaments to everyone

What a little gentleman

After our special Christmas Eve dinner we all got into the car and went driving around some of the suburbs and saw some beautiful Christmas lights. One housing development even has their lights set to a radio station's Christmas music and the lights weave in and out of all the yards, knowing no limits.

When we were finished it was time to head to 'midnight mass' at 10 pm. Our church was beautifully decorated and we were all given a book as a gift from the church. Marshall lasted about fifteen minutes into mass until he decided that he couldn't sit still and just wanted to run, so Brad brought him into the welcoming hall. It worked out alright because Brad wasn't feeling well anyway so it was good that he was able to get out of the heat of the church for a little while.

We topped off the night when we got home. We found that Santa sent us a special Christmas Eve package! In the package was: special Christmas Eve pajamas for Marshall, Santa hot coco cups for the 3 adults, hot coco, The Nativity Story children's book, and popcorn. Marshall loved his pajamas and we all drank our coco as we took turns reading all of Marshall's Christmas books. When it was all said and done we went upstairs and eagerly awaited Santa Claus.