And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun

Every year, we get the standard holiday greetings, with the typical two page letters describing what our friends have been up to. I’ve never sent out letters like that. These days, I simply encourage people to read my blog. One of the typical two page letters did include a link to a friend’s blog.

So, I’m taking a few moments to think about the year that has passed and write about our Christmas season. One of the most popular blog entries I’ve written is about the smoking jacket that I got for Christmas last year.

Christmas is a complicated time for our family. We really started off the season with Miranda’s holiday concert at school. Using my cellphone, I audioblogged a couple of the songs she sang. Afterwards, Miranda and I went out to finish my holiday shopping, and to give Miranda a little reward for doing so well in the concert.

The extended family typically gather at my father-in-laws’ house sometime before Christmas. This year, we had our extended family gathering on the 21st. I think some of the kids had been fighting colds and that is where I got my cold. The present that seems to have made the biggest impression is the electric guitar that we got Miranda. The following days were filled with riffs from Christmas songs on the electric guitar.

On the 22nd, we went to cut down a Christmas tree. We try to do it every year at Jones Tree Farm. The problem is that my eldest daughter is off at college, and then spends half her time back home at her mother’s house, so our chances to go out and find the perfect Christmas tree are fairly sparse. Too often, that means the pickings are pretty sparse too. However, this year, we found a wonderful tree, tall and well shaped. At dinner, we lit a candle for Auntie Anna who died a year ago on the 22nd.

On Christmas Eve, I tuned in some Japanese radio stations over the Internet and Mairead translated songs about Santa-san. We later found Norad’s tracking of Santa in English, Spanish and Japanese. Mairead spent a lot of time translating the Japanese versions, then when she got stuck, translating the Spanish versions. It is a fine example of the types of Christmases we have at Orient Lodge.

My cold has continued to blossom and so Christmas day was a pretty low-key day as we opened presents and had our traditional Christmas Goose. I went to bed around six and slept for something like eighteen hours. I’m drinking a little tea now, and will most likely go back to bed soon.

I have spent a little time reading various blogs. Colin McEnroe has written two pieces about his Christmas, as he deals with his mother’s Alzheimer’s disease.

So, I have written enough. I’ve almost finished my tea and will go rest soon. Yet it seems appropriate, especially in these days of ‘terrorism’ to end of with another section from Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear