We ate lots of chocolate hazelnut cookies and cut-out shortbreads. We found a quick and easy way to turn a can of refrigerated crescent rolls into mini cinnamon buns (drop butter/marg into muffin tins, sprinkle with cinnamon, and add a slice of roll dough (slice across the roll instead of unrolling it first)--bake ten minutes).
We went out for Chinese food on Christmas Eve. About the only Christmas Eve we haven't gone to the same restaurant is the year that Mr. Fixit absolutely wasn't supposed to have any soy sauce. (And even then we only held out until New Year's...he stuck to lemon chicken.) This year he is down to minimal meds and up to hot and sour soup. Much thankfulness.
We had a Christmas Eve service with our church family, and a worship time / one present each time at home afterwards.
There wasn't much snow on Christmas Day. A bit in the evening, but even that didn't amount to much. No tobogganing this year.
Crayons got all excited over her mini Kit and Molly. Mama Squirrel gave her a book.
Ponytails got a watch and some other things she liked. Mama Squirrel gave her books.
The Apprentice got geeky stuff. And some grownup presents too. Mama Squirrel...
There were funny presents.
And useful ones.
We ate turkey and trifle with Grandpa Squirrel and the Squirrelings' uncle and aunt.
We thought of our Far-Away-Nephew Number 2, celebrating his first birthday. And others that we would have liked to have closer to us.
We prayed for a nearby family who lost two children this year, one of them on Christmas Eve.
We found ourselves wanting to hug each other a special amount...and to say thank you. For everything.
What does our culture expect of us at Christmas?
What do our traditions offer us?
What does our faith in Christ require of us?
What does Christmas mean when our holidays are especially joyful
or especially sad?
On Christmas Eve we read from Colossians 3
and put the symbols of our faith on a small tree
as our gifts to the Lord.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
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