We did not really a solid tradition as far as Christmas Eve dinner.  I think int was mostly normal food with a little bit of nuts, candy, and other junk food thrown in (how else could we dream of sugar plums?)  Our main intent was to get to bed so Santa could come, and so we could awake all the earlier to begin the arduous task of wearing down Mom & Dad's resistance to waking up (more about this later).

Some time during my teenage years, though,  we decided we could afford Kentucky Fried Chicken, and since we all loved that, and it was so convenient, we tried that for a few years.  That was a wonderful idea except one year (it was either my sophomore or junior year in high school) I got so nauseous in the wee hours (either food poisoning, or, more likely, over-indulging) that I almost made an eternal oath to swear of  KFC for eternity.  I am glad I never made that oath, as I have enjoyed it many times since (though not for a year or two after that experience); and KFC has even made an appearance or two in Jeanne's and my celebrations over the years...but I was very close. 

But no matter the fare, Christmas Eves were always magic...from the announcement on TV every year that NORAD had detected a unidentified aircraft taking off from the North Pole during the 10:00 news on Christmas Eve, to a little boy who swore he heard jingle bells outside his window in the middle of the night.

Mom told the story of a time when Maurine and Michelle came to her (in tears?) because one of the older kids in the neighborhood had told them there wasn't a Santa.  Mom sat down on the living room couch with them to reconcile their doubt as best she could. This was a more innocent time when you weren't afraid to leave your curtains open, and before she got very far, a face appeared at the picture window just opposite them...it was the Jolly Old Elf  himself!  Her jaw was as far open and her eyes as wide as theirs.  Case closed!

It turned out to be my Uncle Mike dropping by for a visit, but his timing was ...magical.  There would be a time later to move on from the this piece of innocence from childhood, but on this evening it was preserved for a few more years.