It took two days and three of us working on it, but Christmas is up. I still have the holiday dishes and winter mugs to switch out, but I can do that tomorrow after I have a chance to stop at the grocery store and get my first carton of egg nog.

In the days ahead, I have very few presents to buy because those of us who are over twenty-one will contribute to a local charity instead I exchanging gifts. I have to get the country ham, make the apple-orange cake, and eventually being greens into the house. But after this weekend I feel caught up.

I enjoy this time of year. My family observes many holiday traditions and I’m looking forward to seeing how they may change now that Frank and I are grandparents. Little man is going to love all the twinkling lights.