Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! We'll be celebrating with our families, reviving some of our favorite holiday traditions. Frantically wrapping presents the night before. The Christmas Eve Swedish/Italian feast with my parents, complete with Swedish meatballs and stuffed shells and that molded jello salad thing. Yelling at dad for wanting to clean up all the wrapping paper instead of joyously throwing it on the floor as we open each gift. Driving through McIntosh Corner to check out the lights (this year with an added critical eye of how we'll decorate our own house next year!) Finding a Christmas Eve service with real candlelight and tearing up during Silent Night. Being told to hurry up and take a shower so we can open presents Christmas morning at the Loughman's after eating Lee Anne's famous breakfast casserole. Going on a last minute mission to find some eggnog after my mother-in-law figured we wouldn't want any because it's so bad for you. (For the record, none of us have a problem with that. Bring on the nog!) Trying to decide which of all the new books I received I want to crack open first. Eating too much. And then eating some more. Making the annual pilgrimage to return the gifts that don't fit, and then coming away even happier because the after-Christmas sales are so awesome. Napping. And knowing throughout it all that this is our last Christmas as just the two of us. Next year there will be a little girl to share all these traditions with, and we'll be making some new ones as a new family. Or as my friend Robin eloquently pointed out, "I hope Santa is good to you this year, because next year it will be all about the baby!" And you know, I'm probably okay with that.

I didn't send out cards this year, but I hope all of you know how much each of you mean to us. Wishing you love and joy and hugs this holiday season. May your days be merry and bright.