Merry Christmas. I hope you and your families and friends are enjoying all the blessings of the season. As I write this Sunday, the house is still in a high state of chaos, with presents yet to be bought, wrapping behind schedule, and countless last minute errands to run as well as greetings to write. And yet somehow it will all come together ready or not by tomorrow eve. We celebrate Christmas eve with my wife’s family, and the day with mine. Christmas eve traditionally was at Joan’s parent’s house. There, in a small stucco bungalow, the MacKenzie clan would gather for T-bone steaks, mashed potatoes, fruit soup, and ever so much more. Hazel would never sit down, pushing mountains of food at any plate half empty. Art offered everyone a glass of Mogan David wine, perhaps the only day of the year such beverage was shared in the house. The kids table was always loud, in the now ever so small living room. It’s dimensions indented by the gloriously lit, always perfectly decorated Christmas tree. Even more constricting were the mounds of presents in every other corner and stacked along the walls. After dinner, Hazel required a carol or two to be sung before the presents could be opened. And then the walls would reverberate with the shredding of wrappings, giggles of excitement and politely pronounced thank yous crisscrossing the room. As the loot was unwrapped, each item was exclaimed about and thanked for and stashed into piles, every so careful to make sure the to-from tags were neatly tucked within each box. The bedlam would last till nearly eleven when it was time to sneak out and start warming the frozen cars, and load the trunks with the incoming, now that the outgoing was dispersed. Got to get the kids ready for bed, cause Santa Claus is yet to come. Mrs. Claus always managed to whip up a great reason for the kids to wake us the next morning. Even with fresh piles of yet to be played with gifts from the night before, there was always something special under the tree. I hope that you were able to both give and find something special under your tree this year. Best wishes and Merry Christmas. etn