Charlotte Dawson eats her Christmas dinner with a life-size cardboard cut-out of her late dad Les Dawson.
The 28-year-old reality TV star makes sure she takes prop of Les - who sadly passed away from a heart attack aged 63 when she was just eight months old - so her late father feels included in the celebrations.
In an interview with the Daily Express newspaper, Charlotte - who rose to fame on series five of MTV\'s \'Ex on the Beach\' - explained: "Ever since I\'ve popped out of mum\'s womb, we\'ve had this cardboard cut-out.
"Dad used to put it in the window when he went away so no burglars would come in and so we have kept up with the tradition. We have Christmas dinner at my sister\'s house and we put the cardboard cut-out at the table, although it can scare my little nieces."
However, that\'s not the only Christmas tradition the Dawson family share with the late \'Opportunity Knocks\' star.
Charlotte and her family keep a memorial statue in the pier-side gardens in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, which she visits around this time of year to keep the figure of her father nice and warm during the wintery months.
She added: "On Christmas morning, we dress him up and put a hat and a scarf on to make him feel warmer. Then we go to the chippy, have a pint and visit the tree I planted in the grounds of the church where mum and dad got married. At Christmas we always have a little ceremony for him."
The Dawsons then finish the festive holiday by watching their dear old dad\'s classic comedy sketches on TV that make them feel like he\'s with truly with them.
Charlotte said: "After our Christmas meal, we get into our onesies and watch dad on TV.
"All of Dad\'s old shows always get shown at this time of year and I feel like he is really with us for Christmas."
16 September 2020 - 4:00 PM
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