Christmas

Most fabulous day.  I think I look forward to it as much as any kid.  I love cuddling down with our traditional Christmas stories the night before, the milk and cookies set carefully out in front of us.  I love getting pounced on at the crack of dawn and feeling their almost tangible excitement.  And I love giving people things, which I have to be rather careful about, given my financial situation, but I make many gifts for family, find lots of items gently used, barter with friends, and only splurge in a couple spots.  Plus we have a few household rules, like no electronics, which eliminates some of the pricier things that most kids seem to think they desperately need.  Anyway, I can't think of a more perfect setting for Christmas than our big, old farm.  Christmas here would feel special even without ANYTHING fancy.  Once the spruce wreath goes up on the door, the whole place turns into something out of a storybook.  Built in the 1700's, I think it's seen so many happy Christmas gatherings that it almost remembers and starts to glow.  Those kind of ghosts that are very welcome.                

Ira added a couple things to his list for Santa the night before, which left me scrambling, but Santa did manage to pull off the "bottle of brown sugar", an afterthought he seemed pretty dead-set on.  Eli lost a tooth on Christmas morning so The Tooth Fairy was hot on Santa's heels.  

One of Eli's gifts was a new drive chain for his snow machine, which had been needing the repair and sitting unused this season so far.  He's almost ready to graduate to the next size and pass this one to his brother, but he was still pretty excited and has been riding nonstop ever since.  Glad we still have plenty of snow!

And then to Grammy and Grampa's for an incredibly wonderful day packed full of cousins, yummy food, noise and laughing.  Now, on to winter, in earnest.  I'm actually looking forward to it for once, deep snow and the cozy evenings by the fire, making plans.  No signs of the seasonal depression that used to plague the darker months.  Good times ahead!  Happy holidays all!