I’ll be back tomorrow with a full report of movies and holidays and fun, but, in the meantime, thanks for spending 2008 with me. I’ve enjoyed the year and look forward to the adventures of 2009. May your evening be safe and sane, and may 2009 bring only positive things your way.
Just wanted to note that a night with the family watching Fred Claus, drinking homemade eggnog, and eating trifle and Christmas cookies in front of a crackling fire and a cheery Christmas tree as snowflakes drift past the window is pretty darn good.
I hope you all are having equally nice nights.
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope that those of you who celebrate the day found it filled with love and joy and excitement. Yesterday was a little stressful for us as we drove north while trying to finish our shopping. (Note to self: Remember to check for wallet before leaving home next time…) Today, however, was perfectly lovely, as we celebrated this morning in front of the tree with my folks and Gramma. My aunt, uncle, and cousins arrived midafternoon, and we ate a wonderful turkey dinner followed by two types of trifle. A game of pool and some light holiday tv (of yesteryear) rounded out the night.
Since I keep dozing off as I type this, I’m going to save any more recapping for another night and instead compile here for you three beautiful things from my Advent week:
1. We realize after the grocery stores close last night that we’re lacking one of the title ingredients for carrots and peppers. The local Olive Garden to my folks do not laugh Rudi out of the restaurant as he inquires about the plausibility of buying a pepper or two from them. The chef himself bears out a clamshell styofoam container showcasing a red and a green bell pepper. Everyone involved refuses payment and instead wishes Rudi a Merry Christmas.
2. I stay up late wrapping on Christmas Eve and spend the end of the night watching Christmas Eve on Sesame Street.
3. Part of our holiday tradition includes balling up the used wrapping paper and shooting baskets with it into a paper bag. The first round is fun, but the second and third even better. I collect the unsunk balls of paper and we try again, but this time with my parents’ puppy playing along with us. We shoot over her. She steals some balls for her own play later on. The best moment comes when she takes a just-sunk ball of Rudi’s out of the bag. I like to think Cran was rooting for me…
Before I go, here are some favorite Christmas songs I meant to give you back on Monday, but that I ran out of time to share:
Dar Williams’ “The Christians and the Pagans”:
Amy Grant’s “Love Has Come” (on Last.fm)
The Statler Brothers’ “The Carols Those Kids Used to Sing” (on Last.fm)
This is the annual holiday market that D.C. holds downtown. They invite local artisans, musicians, and food vendors to set up shop in little booths outside the National Portrait Gallery during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Some vendors sign up for the whole time, but others filter in and out, so each time you go you find different things.
Three beautiful things from the past week:
1. We head to Old Town to buy a longer needle for the quilt and stop at a European-style bakery after we leave the yarn shop. I order hot chocolate and get a bowl of hot milk and a pitcher of melted chocolate. The milk has a chocolate smiley face poured onto it.
2. Raspberry and apricot thumbprint cookies. Gramma’s chocolate mint sticks. And vegan pumpkin cranberry scones for Suzanne‘s birthday brunch. (I’d seriously recommend the scone recipe as an easy treat.)
3. Today, finally, a few good ideas for Christmas presents occur to me.