Everyone has gone home. The snow has turned to rain. A few cookies lie dessicating in their tins. The tree is still up - I was meant to take it down today but I didn't have the heart to. Maybe tomorrow.
We had a great time during Christmas. My family is big on Christmas - as kids we were completely mental about it, stretching the celebration out from the end of November to about January 10. And my brother and sister and I have not been together for Christmas since 1997, so we had some catching up to do.
In this picture, I am in my pajamas. I don't remember whether it was late at night, or early in the morning (or, let's face it, midafternoon), but let me just say that the presence of a bottle of rum doesn't really offer any clue as to the time of day.
You know how when you get to a party the host usually says "Red or white?" We prefer to be 'and' kind of people.
Here are our children, who are apparently learning by our example. The substance of choice in this case, though, is sugar rather than alcohol.
New Year's was at my place, and turned out to be quite cheese-centric. My friend owns a deli and she hooked me up for my party. Three kinds of chevre, a triple-creme brie, a baby blue, some smoked cheddar, manchego (sheep's cheese), and their attendant crisps and condiments...delicious. We drank five bottles of champagne that night. We also got dressed up...my sister has this great mulberry taffeta party dress which I forgot to take a picture of.
There were a lot of cameras at our Christmas, which is good. Between us we probably have several hundred photos of the good time we had, and 20 or 30 minutes of video that, when we watched it the night before everyone left, wrung our hearts.
Now I've begun the gloomy process of packing decorations away, with a heavy heart. This whole holiday reminded me how sad it is that money stops us from being together. People go where the work is. I suspect that being far away from each other is one of those things that prove to be a source of lasting regret. It always seems like an inconvenient time to pull up your roots just to move back to your family, but...in the end, I think it might be worth it.
Thanks for dropping by, everyone - I took a long break there but I think I'll be back more or less regularly, now. Thanks, too, to knititch and Jo for the Christmas cards, and to The Other Shannon for the beautiful card and picture of your family.
14 comments:
It looks like you had the best Christmas and New Year's. That post made me homesick for my family.
A fun time was had by all.
So the question is .... who is thinking of moving?
Glad you had a nice time with the fambly. As you know, I envy you.
Looks like a wonderful holiday!!!
I loved the pic of the kids...priceless!!
My hubby and I had the same thought process this Christmas...
Sounds like you all had a fabulous time!
Even though I was born here have a brother and have a largeish family with a step parent and siblings I more often than not feel like an only chid.
Good for you and your family for pulling all together and truly enjoying each others company over the holidays.
Best holiday pictures ever.
Sounds like a wonderful holiday with family, I was thinking of you and hoping everyone still was able to make it with the weather.
Glad you are back blogging, missed you! See you at knitting tonight!
this certainly looks like a nice substitute for blogging. nice to be with family,i agree.
Kate: me.
That was the best holiday I can remember.
love the picture of the kids. :) made me smile. :)
sooo... at least you still have some cookies...
i really love your sister's? hair! it's an awesome hue!
so this is the post-Christmas "crash"... i dislike it immensely... especially the gray snain (snow+rain) / slush...
well, at least Christmas was merry. maybe we should start counting down to next Christmas.
You know, I don't think we got any other just-the-3-of-us photos. Did we?
Perfect. I cry whenever I leave my family. My brother and I had just this kind of holiday last Christmas. I miss them so much. And your kids! How awesome.
You and your sister have the same smile :)
"This whole holiday reminded me how sad it is that money stops us from being together. People go where the work is. I suspect that being far away from each other is one of those things that prove to be a source of lasting regret."
This really struck me. Your Christmas sounds like my Christmases as a child - but now my parents live near Duncan, I'm in Delaware, Teri is up in the Yukon, and Jaime is in Chilliwack. We're lucky if we get to see each other once a year.
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