Christmases Past and Present

Christmas in my family was always a big deal. I should say a BIG DEAL. Big dinners, lots and lots of booze, sweets (generally flaming puddings) and presents. Lots of presents.

My father, a man who was normally pretty low-key and fuss-free for 353 days of the year, whipped the entire family into a frenzy of decorating and festivities during the 12 days of Christmas. Thanksgiving weekend the outside of the house was decorated with colored lights and electric luminaries. As soon as the tree lots opened my dad would be scoping them out looking for just the right one - always getting a douglas fir that filled more than half of the family room. He painstakingly placed way too many lights and ornaments on the tree. Every year my dad managed talking my mom out of stringing garlands on the tree and instead dripping silver tinsel (which she hated) all over the already heavily decorated tree. And every year my mom cursed as the vacuum clearer got clogged with silver tinsel and pine needles promising to everyone within ear shot that next year the tree would have garlands, not this damn tinsel. My dad always made multiple trips to Walgreens to get another box or two of "unique" ornaments to add to the tree. New year's day my dad sadly packed up the Christmas decorations but, he would make sure to date the new ornament boxes and list everyone who celebrated the season with us - including the pets. So that every year the unpacking of decorations was a diary of Christmases past.

Sooooo..... it is with quite a bit of guilt that I say I had a nice quiet Christmas and really enjoyed it. My mom, my nephew and me had Christmas dinner at La Fonda restaurant in Santa Fe.

Dad died about 8 years ago. It doesn't seem that long ago and I manage to miss him more as each year passes. If dad were still around asking me to come to Walgreens and pick out a new box of ornaments or string lights and luminaries or pick out a humongous tree then, I am sure I wouldn't feel the need to have a "nice quiet Christmas".

Thanks dad (Budgie) for the great memories of Christmas past. Love you.

Winter Break: Hanukah, Solstice and Christmas

Stephen and Emily are off to their father in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands (tough life for those two kids!) for the winter break.

In this household we try to cover all the winter holidays. Saturday I cooked latkes and served them with red chili, apple sauce and sour cream - a tradition here at "me casa suz casa" for Hanukah and Winter Solstice. For those who don't know about red chili - well a dash of cumin and a clove of crushed garlic adds just the right touch of nice to the spicy sauce.

Sunday was the Winter Solstice and Christmas celebration at my mom's house. Christmas tends to be a low key affair these days now that my kids are grown up and Santa no longer is stopping in with bags of toys. We all enjoy good food and wine and the holidays tend to be served up with our favorite foods and wines. Typically lamb and a full-bodied red wine are our favorites. This Solstice/Christmas celebration was no exception with a rack of lamb and malbec.

I get a long 3-week break before the endurance training begins again with my studies in Physical Therapy - Spring 2010. I am so excited about my first clinical rotation in May where I will have real patients. But, for now I am happy and relieved it is Winter Break and the light will be returning.

It is the time for me to be grateful to all the blessings and love I have in my life.