Christmas Lite

Quiet and simple -- I think I'm going to bring it off this year.  The tree is decorated with my entire remaining collection of ornaments. I gave away everything I didn't put on the tree. All the fussing, shopping prepping, wrapping, and fretting have been scaled back as I grow older and Ben and Logan mature. The magic of e-commerce has hugely simplified shopping. Presents for everyone on my list have been made, bought, mailed or dispatched electronically. I had one heart-stopping event when the quilt I sent niece Hollis went missing for nearly a week. But it seems to have reappeared and should be delivered today. 

Gift wrapping was accomplished in a couple of hours this morning using paper and ribbon left from years previous. I almost made a typo -- "years precious" instead of "years previous." Either word would work just as well. We have some wonderful Christmas memories and I love hearing the kids bring them out and relive them. Precious, indeed.

Gifts for the boys are scant and simple -- they both had wishes for early gifts. Logan got a new suit in November and Ben got a pair of binoculars principally for bug-watching, but he unwrapped them early to watch the Leonid meteor shower.  And we're putting away money for next year's travel plans. We'll see how that plays out. Not to mention the fact that another car will soon be joining the family. So most of our Christmas and birthday gifts will be deferred for a while.

No cooking frenzy for me this year; we'll be having Christmas dinner tomorrow with Steve and Julia. The first time I have not cooked Christmas dinner in nearly half a century. I only regret we will have no turkey leftovers. I think I'll roast a turkey some cold winter's night in January just so I can have some yummy turkey sandwiches and delicious soup.

Snow is forecast for tomorrow, so we'll probably have a white Christmas. Pictures to follow. Rachel and Kevin will be driving down (and back home) tomorrow, but the storm is supposed to be mostly to the south, so the driving conditions should be OK.  

Merry Christmas everyone!