Christmas Greetings

I took a close look at my calendar this week and nearly fell out of my chair. Christmas is less than a week away. The busy-ness of holiday preparations along with the usual chores and responsibilities means that I often lose track of time. I’m sure many of you can relate.

I don’t do as much Christmas preparation as I used to. My kids (30 & 24) decided a while ago that they were too old for gingerbread-cookie making and stockings. These days, my mother is the one who needs assistance with organizing, purchasing, and wrapping presents, although that’s not much extra work.

My son’s coming home from Calgary for Christmas and I’m delighted to be serving a dinner for ten people, a little larger group than normal, but hey, I got this. I’ve been cooking turkey dinners with all the trimmings for quite some time.

Next year, my daughter will be moving into her new house, and she wants to take over the cooking tradition. Having never cooked a Christmas dinner before, and planning to host fifteen people will definitely require a little help.

I want to take this moment to say Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! I wish you a joyful, happy Christmas with good food and good company. The older I get the more I value family time, and especially this day of celebration to acknowledge all that has brought us together.

Gratitude

I started this blog entry on Canada’s Thanksgiving, a couple of days ago. Our family celebrated on Sunday evening at my home, and given the challenging year that some family members have endured, it was especially wonderful to see everyone gathered together, enjoying themselves.

It’s made me pause and reflect about how grateful I am for many things. Family, friends, my health, and a passion for writing that goes back nearly forty years. I’ve learned a lot, accomplished a fair bit, and still have a lot to learn. A fact that really appeals to me. Who knows what the next few years will bring? I just know that I’ll be grateful for every experience that will teach me something.

I hope all of my Canadian friends had a wonderful, peaceful Thanksgiving.

Speaking of gratitude, I’ve just been invited to take part in an evening of readings with a terrific group of local writers. The event will be held at Western Sky Books in Port Coquitlam on Tues., October 23, from 7 to 9 pm. You can find more details HERE. Please join this for great entertainment at All Hallows Night!