family, food and song

What a LOVELY Christmas we've had! We spent the 23rd with my husband's side of the family. We had a very nice time! My husband took our children and me on a car drive through his childhood. We visited his previous homes and schools, stopping to play on the playground of one of his elementary schools. The evening was spent with parents, his brother, and friends. It was full of talking, laughing, eating, and of course, opening gifts.
Christmas day dawned rainy and drizzly . . . (it snowed on December 26th :] ) but the weather couldn't dampen the day! My siblings and our family congregated at my parents' house to celebrate the day. It was filled with wonderful smells, tastes, laughter and something I absolutely LOVE . . . singing. I was raised in a musical home. My Dad plays the guitar, my Mom plays the piano, and we ALL can sing . . . in harmony. We all nestled into the livingroom and passed out the Christmas songbooks. We sang a capella (without accompaniment) song after song after song. Until our throats were dry. The energy and feeling in the room was amazing! My Mom threw out a comment I had never heard before but just love . . . "If in the year you lose your way, you'll find yourself on Christmas day" :)
One more quote from the Santa Claus in the movie "Miracle on 34th street":
"I'm not just a whimsical figure who wears a charming suit and affects a jolly demeanor.
I'm a symbol.
I'm a symbol of the human ability to suppress the selfish and hateful tendencies that rule the major part of our lives. And if you can't accept anything on faith, then you are doomed to a life dominated by doubt."
Merry belated Christmas to you! And a very Happy New Year ahead!