This afternoon it struck me – Christmas Spirit in spades! (It might have been the Chicken Bones candy I picked up at Sobeys today that caused it!)
Now I’m really looking forward to a few days off work and heading into the city Christmas Eve to see my mom, my kid sister and her family, my daughter and her husband! Karen and I usually head out mid-afternoon so we get back early enough in the evening to take care of a few things.
Mom usually has some great nibblies thanks to my gourmet chef sister Laura and we get to open a few presents. By the way, that rule that some homes have about the kids being allowed to open one present Christmas Eve? Nope, never in my home. It’s probably the only iron rule I have ever had about Christmas Eve.
Karen and I try to plan to leave the city in time to listen to the late Fireside Al (Alan Maitland) read the Frederick Forsyth short story “The Shepherd”. Gets me in the “feels” everytime.
When we get home to the country we play with the pets, wrap a few presents, put on Die Hard and Love Actually and have some treats for ourselves. Smoked mussels are a favourite, but we might have some Lunenburg pudding, too. That’s a South Shore tradition that I took to the first year I landed here!
The best part for Karen is there’s no Christmas dinner to prepare for on Christmas Day this year! We’re heading to her sister’s place in Chester for that!
