Merry Xmas Everybody (Oasis)

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

Received the following text from Sarah at the beginning of the week:

Hi Family! Wanted to chat regarding Christmas Eve Day. Whoever is free, could maybe come over for a pajama brunch at 10 am? I was going to make pumpkin pancakes, decorate a Gingerbread house, read the Polar Express, Hot Chocolate, leave cookies and milk for Santa and have a dance party to holiday music :)

And we (well, unfortunately Eric had to work, but the rest of us) really did do all that yesterday (✔✔✔✔✔✔✔).  She made sure the pancakes were vegan; we sipped on homemade (also vegan) coquito (a coconut-flavored eggnog which we used to drink when we lived in Puerto Rico) that a co-worker of hers had made and gifted her for Christmas; I wore my mother's red nightshirt printed with little white snowflakes atop my Christmas lights leggings; we were each supposed to choose three holiday songs for the dance party (mine were Santa Claus is Coming to Town covered by Bruuuuuuce, Merry Christmas from the Family by Robert Earl Keen, and Juliana Hatfield's Make It Home, which I first heard on an episode of My So-Called Life a bazillion years ago); Rob read from his copy of The Polar Express, given to him by my "friendRobby" (that's what they called each other) when he was four; the gingerbread house is constructed and still has to be decorated (later today!). 

When I walked down to my car to head home, I discovered that my battery was dead; someone (me!) had left their headlights on.  thankyoujesus for AAA, and Brandon to the rescue.  Quick fix, and a lesson on perspective.

Came home to a nap, then my walk (got rained on; f*ck it, I kept going!), a hot shower, leftover chili for dinner, and finally curled up with Love Actually, which I hadn't watched yet this season.  Oh, and wrapped presents (i.e. put in gift bags and topped with tissue paper.  Ha!).

Today we are headed back to Sarah's (as soon as I hit Send!), still masked, still socially-distant, doors and windows open, for our present exchange.  Temps will have dropped substantially, with a high of 60, and a low of 43; mmmm, time to drag out the FUggs (Faux Uggs... ;-)  I've been watching Martha Stewart's new show on HGTV (Martha Knows Best) and bought all the fixings to make Marthatinis.  Yum!

We also have a short Zoom call planned with extended family in the Atlanta area (zippity!), and will order Chinese food to be delivered about 4 or 5 p.m. and take it outside to eat.

Wishing you all a most spectacular holiday, however and with whomever you decide to spend it, and love Love and MORE LOVE... 💞

SONG:  Merry Xmas Everybody by Oasis

BOOK:  Merry Christmas Everybody! (A Sesame Street Golden Super Shape Book) by Constance Allen, David Prebenna (Illustrator)

POEM:  When Giving Is All We Have by Alberto Rios

                                              One river gives

                                              Its journey to the next.

We give because someone gave to us.

We give because nobody gave to us.

We give because giving has changed us.

We give because giving could have changed us.

We have been better for it,

We have been wounded by it—

Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet,

Big, though small, diamond in wood-nails.

Its story is old, the plot worn and the pages too,

But we read this book, anyway, over and again:

Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand,

Mine to yours, yours to mine.

You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.

Together we are simple green. You gave me

What you did not have, and I gave you

What I had to give—together, we made

Something greater from the difference.

QUOTE:  "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around." ~ the opening lines of Love Actually, spoken by Hugh Grant's character (which always make me cry, and last night was no exception)