By 8am, I had run my 3 miles — and I was free of my running duties until after Christmas. Christmas Eve is here, and my heart is full.
I worked from home, tying up a few loose ends that needed to be done today before I could put work out of my mind. I was in the mood to be productive and effective. Get it done. So you can move on to Joy, and Laughter, and Lights, and Cookie Making! LOL Yup, that’s Christmas Eve at my house.
A few last-minute gifts to wrap. Nothing fancy. This isn’t Martha Stewart’s House. I don’t have staff, LOL. But I buy some nice sparkly, glittery paper, some bows, and hang tags that look like little tree ornaments which dangle from the package by ribbon. With the packages done, I move on to make cookie dough — so I can get it into the refrigerator to sit.
It’s somewhat quiet this year. We are not spending the holiday with my mom and sister Deb like we normally would. Since they moved to Florida 4 years ago — we’ve spent Christmas travelling. This year, we are home. We’ll see them in January, after the holiday, for the race weekend. So Christmas is simple. Small. A little quiet. But still magical, beautiful, and full of warmth.
As I write, Peter is cooking a turkey meatloaf and rosemary potatoes for dinner. it smells sooo good. Once dinner is over, the Christmas tunes come on, and I take over the kitchen with my Old Fashioned Sugar Cookie making assembly line. Christmas Trees and Snowflakes this year. I forgot to pick up the colored sugar until Saturday. Peter and I had to drive around town until we finally found some at Pathmark. For a moment I was having a heart attack. Is this what happens when you are LATE in the cookie making preparation?? Can’t we have enough colored sugar to go around?
Before bed I will prepare the kitchen for the morning. Get my turkey and stuffing prep done, and set out the Banana Cream Pie and Croissants to defrost. I caved this year and finally bought one of Oprah’s Favorite Things. I bought the Williams Sonoma Croissants. They are supposed to be glorious, buttery, and decadent. A special occasion kind of treat. I ran out and bought strawberry, raspberry and blueberry preserves. We’ll have them along with a nice berry parfait tomorrow. I hope they are worth it!!
So, all in all — a beautiful Christmas Eve. The girls are in good moods. Peter seems happy. I’m loving my favorite time of year. And most importantly —— Christmas is Tuesday. No running on Tuesday. Ahhh. I can put the turkey in the oven tomorrow morning and then settle in to watch the news in front of the fire, with my coffee. No running down the street in 20 degrees tomorrow. MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS, ….. yes, it sure is!!
Ciao for now…..Diane