Christmas

Okay, so uh...I never thought I'd say this, but I wish we had more snow. Maybe not *quite* as much as last year, but enough to cover the grass, at least. I guess we had a white Christmas, as there was about half an inch of the stuff on the road--but the yards all look brown and bare still. It's not the aesthetics I'm thinking about, though--I think the snow actually insulated us last year. It's been very cold (around 0) and remarkably snow-free this winter so far, and I'm feeling a difference in how warm our house was last year compared to this year. Remember all that stuff about snow caves being warm enough to sleep in? Well, I think when you have two feet of snow on the ground, it insulates the ground, keeps it warmer, and by extension keeps your basement warmer. And when you have a ton of snow on your roof? Well, I don't want so much that we have to shovel it--but enough to form an extra layer of insulation wouldn't be bad.

Other that that, it was a nice Christmas. I had the feeling I should get all my Christmas stuff done early this year, so by Thanksgiving I was basically done. And I'm SO glad, because between the two months of the Vomit Fairy and then the funeral for my husband's grandfather, we were rather busy during the time we would have been Christmas shopping in any other year. But even if it hadn't been for that, I just loved having the whole month of December free. Free to actually enjoy my kids' music concerts and programs without worrying about what else I had to do. Free to do something nice for a neighbor. Free to enjoy the season with my family. Free to listen to Christmas music and really appreciate the miracle of what Christmas is all about, and how Christ brings hope in the midst of darkness. I didn't do so well on the holiday greetings part, but the big stuff was done, and then I could get on to the important stuff, you know? I'm definitely planning to prepare early like this every year!

A holiday tradition my kids' friends have that we are adopting. Well, our kids are getting a little on the old side, but I'm passing it along just in case. On Christmas Eve, the kids get to unwrap one present each, and that present is pajamas. And then they wear them to bed. Awesome idea, isn't it? Well, theoretically, anyway... But the 3YO did tell his grandma today that he got ready for bed last night so that Santa could come. So I think some of it sunk in.

(Side question: Hanukkah does not involve presents at the crack of dawn for eight days straight, does it? I sure hope not! Because Santa sure inspires early mornings...)

It was just a nice holiday. On Saturday we listened to the midnight Christmas mass in York, England over the BBC. There is simply nothing like Christmas music at its most British--choir and organ rolling through a cathedral, connecting people over space and even time, if you think of the many hundreds of years that has been a tradition. Then today we had our own local service, and being the choir pianist, I got to play for that. Which was likewise music-heavy (but er, I am not anything like the glorious organist in the York cathedral!). But I liked how it wasn't just the choir doing all the singing, but the congregation got to join in for part of most of the songs, and really be a part of it all. 

The kids have been rolling in a surfeit of books and art supplies, and PMB is thrilled with his new fire truck. (Why do 3YOs love fire trucks so much? Because they really, really do!) I am now exhausted, and as soon as I can convince the 3YO to calm down and close his eyes, I am going to bed!

I hope you have a peaceful end of the year out there, and a bright future as well!