Christmas Chronicle

Christmas 2008! Rock on!

Christmas Eve Smorgie:

Tomato Bread Dip broiled with Manchego

Crocques Monsieurs - thank you Jacques Pepin!

Shrimp Cocktail

Swedish Meatballs

Warm Spinach Salad

Udon Noodles for Elsie

Cheerios for Henry

Set out some cookies and a carrot for Santa and his reindeer. Kids in bed at 7PM, so Mum and Dad turned on "Tropic Thunder" (3 out of 5 stars...)

Elsie awakens to "something rattling the window". I begin to tell her it's Santa but it's 5AM and I want to go back to bed. I tell her it's the wind, we have a quick cuddle and she falls asleep for another hour. Up at 6, downstairs, "Momma! The carrot's gone!" Mum and Dad fumbling through the dark, because the coffee timer is set for 6:30. Hit brew.

Opening presents in complete western New York winter darkness. Wind whistling through 90-year-old windows I should have put that plastic up listening to "Finest 'Arvest of the Wurzels" while yanking wrapping paper out of Henry's mouth...

A backpack for Dad! Steak knives for Mum! A truck for Henry (ah fun boy toys!) The Barbie Fashion Center for Elsa, because, you know I want to teach her how to shop, and swipe a credit card, and look through several outfits and then buy them all. And included, there are over twenty tiny little items for Henry to choke on such as shoes, sunglasses, and other accessories that will keep us all on our toes in the coming weeks.

"The joy, and gratitude, and ecstasy! They are all indescribable alike."

-Stave Two of A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens