The Best Christmas Eve Ever

Fresh from the miracle of the Concierge Who Saved Christmas, we settled in to enjoy the rest of our evening, rife as it was with all the "things we usually do", which is the very definition of liturgy.

Lovely Mass with cherubic children in pink cassocks and white robes, singing gorgeous songs from all over the globe and the kind, generous spirit of Father R. There is something so profound in the way we celebrate that even if, in the run-up to Christmas Eve I haven't felt "it" yet, for sure the Christmas spirit will descend during that Mass.

The Spouse took the lake route home from the Cathedral so we could ooh and aah at Christmas lights and once at home we fired up all our own Christmas lights and dined on crusty Noel bread, butternut squash and apple soup (which I poured out of a carton from Trader Joe's and which tasted like heaven, thankyouverymuch) and a salad of mixed greens and pears in shallot vinaigrette.

We decorated the tree, with Hat in charge of noting where empty spots needed to be filled.

We followed our tradition of trekking outside to "the enchanting creche in the woods" and sang "Away in the Manger", then came inside to listen to Christmas music, drink gin and tonics (very appropriate, what with the piney scent of the gin) and enjoy the lights of the Christmas tree.

There is a silly song, originally recorded by Jona Lewie, called "Stop the Cavalry". Because it has the line "wish I was home for Christmas" it makes the play list of a local rock station's holiday extravaganza (they play the cover by the Cory Band but the original is better). Anypolka, the oompa beat of the song strikes The Spouse and I as terribly amusing and we dance to it, our own little ridiculous dance. But it's another one of those things that has become a thread in the fabric of our Christmas traditions. The fact that someone else was actually witness to it, well, that couldn't be helped.

(Warning: Right at the end I say a not too Christmas-y word and I'm ashamed and sincerely apologize. But I still have to play the video because it makes me laugh to hear Hat laughing).



The Child and I argued over who would read "The Night Before Christmas" (but I won because I'm the mom. Ha), then she was shooed to bed. This was a crucial year for The Child. She was in conflict. Of course, at nearly 14, she knows intellectually that Santa is a myth but she was very sad to think that admitting as much would mean the death of Christmas magic. There were many conversations about this, including some with Auntie Hat, and we did our best to assure her that no matter what we know, there is a beauty and magic to the season which we still feel every year. I wasn't sure this made her any happier but she put out a cookie and eggnog for Santa, an apple for the reindeer and bade us good night.

The adults had some more drinks, some more conversation and then realized with a start that it was midnight. We turned on the TV to watch the beginning of Midnight Mass at the Cathedral, getting all excited and pointy whenever we spotted The Neighbor singing in the choir. And then it was time for all good children, including the grown ones, to go to sleep.