Cristmas Eve
Listening to: Christmas all day and night!
Reading: Jewels of the Sun Nora Roberts
Weather: 30, sunny
Trivia:Where did the tradition of the Yule log come from?
The northern barbarians - Britons, Saxons and Norsemen or Vikings - held November feasts called 'Jiuleis' or 'Giuli', from which the Scandinavian 'Jul' and our 'Yule" may come. It was largely a celebration of the Winter Solstice, or the shortest day of the year. One of the chief parts of the celebration was the gathering of the Yule log which was, quite simply, the largest log they could find. This log, which represented fire, warmth and light against the cold and darkness of winter, would be placed in their main hall, carefully prepared and lit. So long as it burned (which could be for many days, given its size) there was much feasting and revelry. This wasn't terribly difficult, as most of the cattle had just been slaughtered in preparation for the winter and meat was plentiful. Additionally, any evergreen trees were thought to have mystic powers of a sort, as they were the only plant that remained green throughout the year. Consequently, branches were hung about the great hall both for luck and the color and festive atmosphere they created. This tradition most likely was one of many which presaged our bringing in of evergreens every holiday season to celebrate Christmas.
Cool word:bravura (bruh-VOOR-uh) - An amazing or daring display of style, technique, or expertise; (noun) a particularly difficult and showy passage in a piece of music requiring both technical proficiency and great energy on the part of the performer.
In from Midnight Mass. Everything is as done as it’s going to get, but I think I’ve managed to accomplish everything I had to get done.
We had Christmas with the kids tonight. Poor Matilda has been an absolute wreck about whether or not Santa was going to show up or if she was just going to get coal.
She knows that her behavior has been less than stellar and finally managed to get worried about it at the last minute. Her theory being better late than never.
It was so cute to watch her go over to the tree and start peering at the boxes trying to determine if her name was on any of the tags.
Needless to say, Santa had come through in a big way.
It bums me out that Keith is no longer a believer. That’s been one of the biggest joys of having kids in the family, the wonder and mystery of Santa and the belief that he was really coming.
one of my favorite memories of Keith is the year that he decided that the impressions that had been left in the rug when we moved a small table were footprints left by the elves. It helped that a few pieces of glittery confetti had fallen in that area. I loved the excitement and imagination that just overtook him.
The kids were very happy with their presents. I think Matilda most liked the Madeline carrying case and the two dolls that we gave her to go with it. Keith was into the Nintendo games and Gameboy stuff.
The adults gave each other gifts as well. I got a gift certificate to one of my favorite stores that sells candles and things like that. It’s the place I often stop off at after a bad day at school.
It always cheers me. It’s always expensive too.
Matilda spent a good part of the evening creating a story for my mother’s snow village. She named it "Sweetwater Candyland" and had quite a tale going for each of the figures and what was going on in each of the buildings or at the skating rink. I love to listen to her imagination at work.
MY mother, brother, Dee and I all went to midnight Mass. It’s the midnight Mass that you need to get to by eleven or you won’t get a seat. I love this service, they have Christmas caroling for a half hour starting at 11.30, then the Mass at midnight. I love all the caroling, and it’s really the only time that I get to sing a lot of the traditional carols.
The place is always packed, and it’s one of those times that I run into people I went to highschoool with, or even grammar school for that matter.
Dee has no one to go to church with, so I always invite her to come with us. We exchanged gifts before hand. She gave me a "Boyd’s Bears" figurine of two bears talking on the phone. I howled. It’s so us!
I realized I didn’t have any orange juice when I was taking Dee home, so I decided to stop at the twenty-four hour Walgreen’s to pick up a half gallon, it cost four dollars!!! Talk about highway robbery! But I had to have it, as it’s a must before I go to bed on Christmas Eve.
A comfort thing from my childhood, but a tradition that must be upheld.
I’m now watching part of the Robert Schuller Christmas service from Bethlehem. Once Michael Crawford sings I’ll fall asleep.
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