Christmas Day

This has been a trying year in many ways. Employment, parenting and writing challenges abounded. Still, with the support of family and friends we made it through.

This time of year is about tradition and family. As I write, we are listening to Garrison Keillor's Christmas album. I don't remember when this album became part of the Christmas lexicon at our house, but Christmas just isn't the same without hearing about the Norwegian bachelor brothers, Santa Lucia, the 12 Days of Christmas in Norwegian and Santa Claus (yes, he was there too...) We have a more Swedish heritage than Norwegian, but it all applies. For those that are curious, I recommend "Scandinavian Humor and other Myths" Part owners manual and part humor for all of those with Scandihoovian and Lutheran blood.

As a traditional Lutheran family, we stick to tradition fairly closely when it comes to celebrating the holidays. The predictability of the way we celebrate is comforting to all. We get together at church for the carol service, have a late dinner and then open one gift on Christmas Eve. Off to bed to wait for Santa (not Lutheran per se, but part of the package when you have small ones!) then up in the morning to open presents.

Keeping with tradition, last night we settled in to the pew (after attempting to parallel park the SUV in snow, twice. Second time was the charm.) for the carol service at Grace. There is a carol sing along as a prelude, and then a processional. The church has a gorgeous pipe organ, purchased for the church as part of the endowment fund. For a small church it's a treat to have such a wonderful instrument. Fully expecting to hear the hum of the pipes as the pastor and seminary student came down the aisle, I was rather alarmed to hear a different hum, from quite a different set of pipes. I looked at my dad, who looked at me and mouthed "Bagpipes?" as I did the same. We then looked down at the order of service bulletin to see who was responsible for the, um, interesting prelude. Unattributed bagpipe playing. No one was listed, so it was for one of a couple of reasons. A) Someones kid is learning to play the bagpipes. B) One of the long lost Scottish Lutherans was present and made a request C) It was a pinch hitting bagpipe player, standing in for a squeaky clarinet/squeaky violin/squeaky preteen soloist or D) All of the above. I had to fight the urge to giggle, because I knew I wouldn't be able to stop if I started.

The rest of the service went ahead smoothly, Lutheran aerobics notwithstanding. What is that you ask? Stand. Sing, sit down. Sing again, stand to pray, sit, then stand again to sing. Sit, pass out the collection tray, then pray and stand, sit, stand and pray. Normally this isn't really difficult, but factor in coats, small children and entire families crammed into one pew. It was a tight fit, until Lily played the potty card about halfway through. Bryan graciously took her, and then watched the rest of the service from the 'cry room' on closed circuit TV. The service always ends with the lights dim, candles flickering along the pews and in the stained glass windows. The line 'all is calm, all is bright' is so fitting, just at the moment that the overhead lights go down and the glow of the candles takes over the stillness of the church. It's my favorite part of Christmas Eve.

After church we invited the family back to our place for a late dinner where we all ate too much and I had too much left over. I'll be eating spinach dip for a while... For years my Grandma and Auntie, and then after we lost Grandma, Auntie Ann hosted Christmas Eve dinner at their house. This is the third year we have hosted it and I love having everyone over. Lily ran around eating way too many grapes, a lot of chocolate and crackers. The rest of us indulged in fancy appetizers, potato casserole and desserts. Thank goodness for President's Choice appetizers! They made food prep really easy - I highly recommend the Fig and Goat Cheese Blooms, and the Cranberry and Brie Blooms. In fact, come over for some - I have a lot of frozen appetisers right now. I really shouldn't grocery shop while hungry.

Christmas morning dawned bright and beautiful. Picture perfect, all the trees in the neighborhood were covered in hoar frost this morning. It's tradition that I wake up well before everyone on Christmas. Bryan and I woke up at pretty much the same time today as I forgot to turn down the heat last night. At 5 am we were both roasting! I went back to sleep until just before 8, when we woke Lily up to tell her that Santa had come. He left 2 presents under the tree in her room. She tore into them to discover new craft supplies and a tote to carry them in.

We opened gifts here, and then packed up for the quick drive to Mom and Dad's. On the way to the car, I took the snow off my Christmas present. Dad and Bryan put it in the back yard last week, with instructions to not peek under the tarp. Then it snowed, so any chance of peeking was thwarted by Mother Nature. I had an inkling as to what it might be, but I waited. It is a huge (!) fountain for the garden. I have to figure out where it's going to live - front yard or back, and this will involve some reconfiguration of the garden. It will give me something else to plan now that the basement is on the go.

We were all spoiled with gifts, but most of all, I appreciate the time I get to spend with my family today. It really is the best gift that you can give or get.

Enjoy the day with your loved ones, and remember the ones that are not here, as they are part of the traditions you are enjoying today. Past, present and future all run together on days like this.

Merry Christmas to everyone!