Christmas is Here

Well - it's almost midnight. The tree is finally decorated - started and finished on December 23rd!

I actually started Christmasing several weeks ago, with the traditional cookie baking marathon - attendees included mom, my sister, her little ones (small fingers come in handy, especially when adding Hershey kisses to peanut butter cookies) and myself. We didn't turn out the exceptionally large numbers we did in years past, but it was much more manageable this year. It was nice to see my sister's house decorated for the season, as she is traveling here to Columbus for the 25th this year.

The same weekend of the cookie baking marathon, Lee and I took my mother and her husband to the Gaither Family Homecoming concert. Lee and I hadn't experienced this group - really many groups - performing before. It was a varied and beautiful four hours, with gospel and traditional hymns. A wonderful way to get into the spirit of the season. Especially beautiful - "Go Tell It On The Mountain" and "Silent Night."

Last weekend, Lee's sister and brother-in-law were in town and we had a Christmas celebration with them, Lee and Angela's mother and later, with Lee and Angela's dad and his wife. It's nice that, even though our families have grown and changed, we still find a way to be together at the holidays. It isn't so important that we are together on the Big Day, just that we get to share some time together celebrating and reflecting on the year.

Tonight we celebrated with Lee's father, stepmother and family. It's been a great tradition to spend Christmas Eve with them for several years now. We are blessed.

May you be this year as well.

'Night