It's Christmas Eve, and this year will be quite different for us, as it is for nearly everyone. Although our Christmas Eve traditions have changed a bit from time to time over the years, we have always enjoyed Christmas Eve services at church, and a family dinner, either preceding or following church. Then a quiet evening at home to wind down the day in anticipation of Christmas day.
Today we will be staying home, and the children who don't live here will just do a drop-by to exchange Christmas presents and take their already-filled stockings home with them. This evening we will join the church service via livestream, then order Chinese food, then Zoom with the absent children for some Charlie Brown Christmas Bingo, and then settle in for that quiet evening, watching "A Christmas Story" for the zillionth time, enjoying it just as much as ever.
On Christmas morning we will open stockings via Zoom (three children are here in our home, two aren't), and probably do some gift opening. We may save some for New Year's Day in hopes that we are able to get together. In the immediate family we have one hospital pharmacist (who got her first COVID vaccine dose this morning), two autism agency workers, and three teachers. Lots of contact with lots of people in the outside world. So we are doing our part to minimize risk. And, we look at it as just extending the Christmas season for a few more days :-)
Until my Mom moved to Tennessee three years ago, we spent Christmas Eve with her in her apartment. Being part of the normal Christmas hoopla was a bit much for her, so Christmas Eve with her was the right thing to do and was part of our tradition for several years. Mom passed away earlier this year, at the grand age of 100, having seen 101 Christmases. Fortunately, she was not a victim of COVID, passing due to just living a life of over 100 years. So we will not be able to call and wish her Merry Christmas this year, but she is surely still part of our celebration.
So, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Please stay safe, and please help to keep others safe as we go into 2021.
I am so sorry to hear that your Mom passed. I pray you are comforted by the many memories of being with her, both during the holidays and throughout the years.
ReplyDeleteI have followed you for many years and am grateful for all the shares. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy the thoughts and music of others who enjoy Christmas as much as I do.
Thank you for your kind words Pat!
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