Our tradition when I was young was to go next door to "visit" Marko and Louise after dinner on Christmas Eve. My sister and brother and I would bring them a small gift and they would give us a box of cookies and candy for the family. Lo and behold when we got back home Santa would have made his appearance and we would open presents. How did Santa know just when to make his appearance? We fell for that one for a long time and as the oldest I never did let on to my siblings that there was no Santa. Mom and Dad half killed themselves to get dolls and buggies and bikes out of hiding places before we came bursting in the door. Later on my parents stories of their frantic scramble and poor Louise's ploy to keep us at their house for as long as possible made for some hysterical family tales. Feasting on Louise's delicious cookies and candies that evening is a special memory too. She made toffee, divinity, fudge as well as every Christmas known to mankind.