Christmas Eve back around and we spent the day getting the house ready for family to come and visit. We host everyone at our house after the 4pm Christmas Mass. Allison makes a chicken stew for everyone and my sister made a dark chocolate dessert. But that was later one. When the day started it was filled with cleaning. We did the whole downstairs and then got to Mass early, earlier than we have in years because we actually got a seat in the real pews and not just the folding chairs in the back of the Church.

Of course, even though we had a pew we stuffed it with five adults and two kids in a space made for 4 people. And we all know how much I like being smooshed together with other people, even family. It was a warm day for Christmas Eve, too. So warm that the windows in the Church needed to be opened. Mass was good and then we headed home for dinner. We were joined by my Mom & Dad as well as my sister Tara and my brother-in-law Erik. Dinner was excellent and fun. The kids made little penguins as seat markers for everyone.

After everyone left Allison and I got to wrapping gifts and that meant that Allison wrapped the gifts while I moved things around and placed the gifts under the tree. We also went through a few showings of A Christmas Story. It all got wrapped and then was time for bed. Santa got his milk and cookies set out. The kids made the cookies and that included major amounts of frosting.