The run up to Christmas was hectic and fun, as it often is. We were blessed this year to have time with our wonderful daughter from Wednesday through Saturday evening and we packed in a lot of good times. There was a game night with neighbors and adult libations, viewing of two movies, including the current box office hit Star Wars - The Force Awakens. We saw most of the Warriors NBA game on Christmas, preceded by lots of gift opening and a nice walk with Pi doggie at the Laguna.
We enjoyed sushi on Wednesday, New York deli pastrami and corned beef (and my own turkey) sandwiches on Christmas Eve, a wonderful Christmas morning brunch which included sweet rolls and scrambled eggs and baked ham and lots of coffee (and tea for me and Straight Shooter), then an easy Christmas dinner with fresh-baked biscuits on top of a chicken stew I cooked on Christmas Eve, plus a delicious fruit and nut salad that Grandma brought. I made the stew early because I knew I would be tired by Christmas dinner time and because most things made with cooked onions seem to taste better the next day.
Of course there were also Christmas cookies now and again throughout the time we were all together, Santa's Whiskers, white chocolate and dried cranberry ones and molasses ginger cookies, plus some crescents and some delicious cookies that Sweetie's sister in Virginia sent. I won't even go into the beverages, except to say that the spiced Old Fashioned drinks with good quality bourbon were a good reason to forgo my self-imposed ban on alcohol.The day after Christmas we saw more family and some friends and ate and drank again with gusto.
I hope that your holidays included some fun times and some spiritual reflection, too. I am the fortunate caretaker of the family nativity scene that graced my parent's mantle for many years. The photo at the top of the blog is of where it sits this year on the Willett hutch cabinet. You can't see it in this photo, but Mom's photo in the blue sweater was on the right of the greenery arrangement as I know she was with us in spirit. It seems to me that one of the reasons that Christmas has been embraced as a special holiday is because love and the arrival of divine love is the reason for the holiday and there is never too much love. Love inspires us to give to those we love and to cook for those we love and celebrate with them the return of light to the winter world. Although I hope that "Santa" gave you what you were most wishing for, my true hope is that you experienced the gift of love in abundance this Christmas season.
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