Christmas Eve 2011

The Finke family spent Christmas at home this year for the FIRST TIME EVER. It was nice but also a little weird to not have the rest of our family around us. Dan and I decided that this first Christmas at home alone was the perfect time to determine what our family traditions would be for Christmas Eve and Christmas day. In years past we have always spent the evening of Christmas Eve with my family. My family tradition has always been to go shopping with my dad (for Christmas presents for my mom) during the day of Christmas Eve and then in the evening we all get dressed up, go out for a nice dinner, go to mass and then to see the luminarias in Old Town Albuquerque. I have to say that I just LOVE this tradition. It is one of the reasons that I have wanted to continue going home for the holidays each year. In light of this, Dan agreed that we could keep many of the traditions that I have loved for so many years going with our own small family, so on Christmas Eve we got the kids dressed up, went out to dinner, went to the 6pm children's mass at OLV and then drove around State College looking at the Christmas lights. We even added our own little flare to the evening - drinking hot chocolate while writing a letter to Santa before going to bed. It was a wonderful Christmas Eve. We had a really nice night even though we were missing our families.

Daddy and Ellie at dinner at the Ale House

Umm...what are you looking at young man??

The real picture of Jackie and Momma.

Ellie in front of the Christmas tree.

The best we could get of the three of us!!

Momma and Ellie

Awww!!! Can't you just feel the love?!

Hot Chocolate is AWESOME!!

Very careful to not get any on her beautiful dress!

Letter to Santa. Ellie told me what to write and then wrote her name herself. Pretty good for 3 years old!!