December 25 & 26

December 25 - Car loaded with gifts and more sweets than any hundred people would need, we drove the hour and 45 minutes south to Sis2's house. This was a year when all four sibs, their significant others, niece, nephew, and their significant others celebrated together. Gifts were opened first in a wild flurry of tissue paper, gift wrap, boxes and bags, some of which were gifts themselves. Kaleidoscopes, paperwhite bulbs, scarves, chocolate covered cherries, Texas pecans, windshield cleaners, sweaters, motion-activated toy dogs, slippers, books, framed antique hand drawn maps, and other various and sundry items were exchanged with joy and pleasure. Then followed dinner.

Nephew, the former sous chef and current free lance caterer, designed the menu and cooked the meal with the assistance of his better half: roast ribs of lamb, duck confit over cherries and cranberries, seafood casserole, creamed spinach, Caribbean wild rice salad, brussels sprouts with bacon, onion and mushrooms, and pureed parsnips. Everything was delicious, and the wine flowed freely.

After dinner some indulged in strenuous games on the Wii a la projection screen tv, some in conversation and beverages, some in sweet desserts, and some in all three. It was clear that there was way too much food, both dinner and dessert, but the tradition among my sibs is to fill tubs, tins and tupperware with leftovers to enjoy later or the next day, so it never goes to waste. Sis2's hubby had requested shortbread and 7 layer bars, so extra was made just for him. I could have left the variety of chocolates and the banana split ingredients at home because they weren't touched. I'll be baking banana breads tomorrow and having sliced bananas for breakfast for a few days, and that's a fine thing.

The drive home began in light and unexpected snow, so I was wary of the roads, but where it was snowing the air temps were above freezing, and when the snow stopped and the temperature dropped, the roads were clear. The trip was fairly easy, and the dog was glad to see us. Getting home a little after our usual dinnertime was nice because that gave us the evening to unpack and unwind. I tried out the heating, vibrating neck wrap that my husband gave me. Delightful!

December 26 - Christmas II began at a nice leisurely pace with a special Christmas coffee and no rush to wrap gifts and package goodies. Today was a smaller gathering of just us sibs with Mom and her beau.

After we located her at her boyfriend's apartment, we gave Mom some small gifts: a deep pink cyclamen, three packages of Christmas-style Peeps, a scarf, some bubble wrap (she loves to sit and pop it), a large package of Klondike bars, two bird feeders to attach to the outside of her windows, and some birdfeed. Her beau had asked Sis2 to pick out some red slippers for her and bring them to her, from him, which she did, but Mom kept trying to give the package to him to open, misreading the "To" and "From" label on the wrapping. We each gave him small gifts too - a soft scarf, some candy, a toy for his cat. Then, per her request, we went out to lunch.

Her favorite Asian restaurant is in a shopping plaza, so that's where we ate. It was a short drive but I was able to spend it with my brother, catching up on the end of a conversation begun yesterday about retiring. Even though he's six years younger than I am, it seems we're in about the same mental place when it comes to our careers. Sis3 drove herself so she could have a smoke, and Sis2 played chauffeur for the couple. Seated at a round table in an alcove, we helped Mom and her significant other choose from among a bewildering array of options, locating her beloved shrimp and veggies. We enjoyed our various plates, and then we returned to their apartment building for a few group photos a la little brother's camera with its self timer. Sis3 left first, her two-hour attention span spent, and I left next after listening to little brother gently questioning the boyfriend about his past and the boyfriend describing his life from high school football player to his former career working with the Yellow Pages. Mom's new flame seems to be a nice, solvent man with just a little less forgetfulness than she has, and they seem to be happy. Nevertheless, I think we were all glad that there was no talk today of them getting married.

Back home, advertised bad weather not yet arrived, I put my feet up for a bit before starting our own Christmas dinner: slices of hickory smoked spiral ham, fresh asparagus, and mashed potatoes, simple and delicious.

It's been a full three days, a long one of preparation and two of time with family, celebrating Christmas with gifts and meals together. I'm looking forward to having very little on my plate and plenty of time to accomplish it.