Christmas Eve at Our House
Today, it is Christmas Eve everywhere that people celebrate Christmas. Our Christmas Eve is like others and not like others, probably just like yours. This morning, Dana and Kal went with us to our Sunday morning service which was announced as the family friendly service. There was lots of singing, a puppet version of the Christmas story, and then we all sang with candles in each person's hand in the darkened room. It was good to be all together for this. I am sure the boys also liked the various goodies on the table for munching after the service.
We heard from some family who have to work today. Don's brother and his partner operate a tree service in Victoria, B. C. and there are more of the winds that have been plaguing the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the U. S. The sodden ground has yielded many fallen branches and entire trees toppled over onto buildings and autos. They have been working hard since November. Other years have been quiet and they have got away for Christmas, either to Oregon or here to California.
After we got home from our service, Don and I took Alan to Whole Foods to pick up our fresh turkey. We like to have turkey for Christmas. It is traditional for us, even though now we live in the U. S., our Thanksgiving turkey has only been a few weeks ago. We got some other last minute groceries. Of course, they weren't the last, last minute ones. Once those were unpacked, Dana and I went to the nearest drug store. I needed to get a hair dryer for the downstairs bathroom because the one I lent Dana fried itself a few days ago. Both Dana and Cate have long, long tresses to dry. She was borrowing mine, but I wanted our guest bathroom to have one over the holidays and in the future. I also bought a few things for Don's stocking because as usual, I didn't have many little things for his stocking. He is hard to get things for at the best of times, so I made my desperation dash around the store. Undoubtedly, he must shake his head inwardly at some of the things I think of getting him for his stocking presents. And, of course, I had to buy a big bottle of Irish Cream to share.
Once we were home, Don went out with Kal to the drug store and then to hike with him in Wildwood Park to the top of the ridge. That was great for both of them. They talked about The Lord of the Rings on the way.
In the meantime, Cate arrived in her rented car. She had asked for a compact car, but ended up with a convertible sports car most men would love to drive. She wasn't thrilled. However, you know who was thrilled to pieces. Yes, it was Kal. So Don had to take Kal out to get those last, last minute groceries. Alan, Dana, Cate and I played many rounds of Apples to Apples before they reappeared. And, guess what? Cate discovered she needed batteries, or rather, some presents she was giving need batteries, so off she went, again taking Kal, to the dollar store.
Now, while she was out, Don discovered that he had not bought the movie tape he was supposed to be getting when he took Kal out. He called Cate on her cell phone and asked her to go into Vons to look for some. Nope. None there. She called and asked him if he wanted her to go to another store. He said not to. He would take some RDI stuff from last year off onto a DVD and use an old tape. Right. She's still not back as she probably ignored him and went search for the tape for her Daddy.
Don did get something in a box to serve for supper. It is most likely some kind of pizza or similar food. That's fine. The ladies are full of rum balls and don't need much to eat. Kal will eat pizza. Maybe alone. Alan doesn't eat pizza. Don doesn't , either. Alan will want to eat his corn, chicken and rice. No chicken. The turkey is taking up all the fridge space, so we already agreed with Alan he'd eat sausage for his meat instead. I'll slip him some cherry tomatoes so I won't feel guilty about the lack of various veggies in his diet. For the adults, it will be everyone for himself or herself.
After we are satisfied everyone has had supper, we will watch Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation. This is Don's favorite Christmas movie. He has already watched A Christmas Carol with Alan and I am not sure when Dana will get to watch It's a Wonderful Life. Kal has watched The Grinch already in his room. He is big enough to watch alone but not so big as not to want to see it.
The carols are playing on the stereo. Cate helpfully brought a new CD as we have listened to our selections many, many times over since Thanksgiving. We may also be singing carols, although I have warned Alan we will not be singing all the verses. Two years ago, Dana and Cate humored him and sang all the printed verses of several carols. They didn't want any temper tantrums from Alan on Christmas Eve. They were really good to him and we all lived through it. You have no idea how many verses some of those carols have until you see them in print. We would all heartily sing a verse or two, but nobody without a song sheet knew the long versions, so Dana and Cate had to sing them with Alan. True filial devotion.
Now Cate is back with Kal, so if you have read this far, I hope you are warm and dry and full of something warm or warming to drink. Send me an e-mail or respond to this blog, won't you? I'd love to hear how you are doing. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Today, it is Christmas Eve everywhere that people celebrate Christmas. Our Christmas Eve is like others and not like others, probably just like yours. This morning, Dana and Kal went with us to our Sunday morning service which was announced as the family friendly service. There was lots of singing, a puppet version of the Christmas story, and then we all sang with candles in each person's hand in the darkened room. It was good to be all together for this. I am sure the boys also liked the various goodies on the table for munching after the service.
We heard from some family who have to work today. Don's brother and his partner operate a tree service in Victoria, B. C. and there are more of the winds that have been plaguing the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the U. S. The sodden ground has yielded many fallen branches and entire trees toppled over onto buildings and autos. They have been working hard since November. Other years have been quiet and they have got away for Christmas, either to Oregon or here to California.
After we got home from our service, Don and I took Alan to Whole Foods to pick up our fresh turkey. We like to have turkey for Christmas. It is traditional for us, even though now we live in the U. S., our Thanksgiving turkey has only been a few weeks ago. We got some other last minute groceries. Of course, they weren't the last, last minute ones. Once those were unpacked, Dana and I went to the nearest drug store. I needed to get a hair dryer for the downstairs bathroom because the one I lent Dana fried itself a few days ago. Both Dana and Cate have long, long tresses to dry. She was borrowing mine, but I wanted our guest bathroom to have one over the holidays and in the future. I also bought a few things for Don's stocking because as usual, I didn't have many little things for his stocking. He is hard to get things for at the best of times, so I made my desperation dash around the store. Undoubtedly, he must shake his head inwardly at some of the things I think of getting him for his stocking presents. And, of course, I had to buy a big bottle of Irish Cream to share.
Once we were home, Don went out with Kal to the drug store and then to hike with him in Wildwood Park to the top of the ridge. That was great for both of them. They talked about The Lord of the Rings on the way.
In the meantime, Cate arrived in her rented car. She had asked for a compact car, but ended up with a convertible sports car most men would love to drive. She wasn't thrilled. However, you know who was thrilled to pieces. Yes, it was Kal. So Don had to take Kal out to get those last, last minute groceries. Alan, Dana, Cate and I played many rounds of Apples to Apples before they reappeared. And, guess what? Cate discovered she needed batteries, or rather, some presents she was giving need batteries, so off she went, again taking Kal, to the dollar store.
Now, while she was out, Don discovered that he had not bought the movie tape he was supposed to be getting when he took Kal out. He called Cate on her cell phone and asked her to go into Vons to look for some. Nope. None there. She called and asked him if he wanted her to go to another store. He said not to. He would take some RDI stuff from last year off onto a DVD and use an old tape. Right. She's still not back as she probably ignored him and went search for the tape for her Daddy.
Don did get something in a box to serve for supper. It is most likely some kind of pizza or similar food. That's fine. The ladies are full of rum balls and don't need much to eat. Kal will eat pizza. Maybe alone. Alan doesn't eat pizza. Don doesn't , either. Alan will want to eat his corn, chicken and rice. No chicken. The turkey is taking up all the fridge space, so we already agreed with Alan he'd eat sausage for his meat instead. I'll slip him some cherry tomatoes so I won't feel guilty about the lack of various veggies in his diet. For the adults, it will be everyone for himself or herself.
After we are satisfied everyone has had supper, we will watch Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation. This is Don's favorite Christmas movie. He has already watched A Christmas Carol with Alan and I am not sure when Dana will get to watch It's a Wonderful Life. Kal has watched The Grinch already in his room. He is big enough to watch alone but not so big as not to want to see it.
The carols are playing on the stereo. Cate helpfully brought a new CD as we have listened to our selections many, many times over since Thanksgiving. We may also be singing carols, although I have warned Alan we will not be singing all the verses. Two years ago, Dana and Cate humored him and sang all the printed verses of several carols. They didn't want any temper tantrums from Alan on Christmas Eve. They were really good to him and we all lived through it. You have no idea how many verses some of those carols have until you see them in print. We would all heartily sing a verse or two, but nobody without a song sheet knew the long versions, so Dana and Cate had to sing them with Alan. True filial devotion.
Now Cate is back with Kal, so if you have read this far, I hope you are warm and dry and full of something warm or warming to drink. Send me an e-mail or respond to this blog, won't you? I'd love to hear how you are doing. Merry Christmas, everyone!
posted by Mary at 5:09 PM
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