Merry Christmas 2017

Editor’s note: This post was published, but then disappeared, so I’m reposting it. Nothing new here.

What a delightfully relaxing end of the year.

Christmas Eve brought the annual concert at our church with candlelight and Bell Choir. Buds and I were ringers for another year, and for the second year in a row we had at least one song that went splendidly and one song that made us grateful that bells sound pretty, even when rung haphazardly at random.

In a very unusual move for me, I purchased a new dress for the occasion. It was a huge hit and brought back many vintage memories for my fellow female congregants. (Ahhh, crinoline.)

After church we went to Buddie’s brother’s house for a delicious fish feast.

Then home via the back route to enjoy the beautiful holiday lights in the cold darkness.

A favorite tradition is one begun by my dad when I was a child; we open one present on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning was such a delight. I baked to my heart’s content; we opened presents; played games; watched a movie. It was the perfect mix of together and alone for us.

The children had worked together to get each other presents. The kids and I gave Buds a “you can boss us through a family workout” gift certificate. Our white envelope for the children this year was that we had given a substantial amount of money to a beloved friend who was financially strapped. Best gift of all was that Buds was home with us the entire week between Christmas and New Year’s.

Happiness all around.

Merry, Merry Christmas!