Christmas Day

 Glorious sunshine and bitter cold. 4F (-14C) when I step outside to feed the animals. THe path to the barn feels as solid as rock. Beneath the surface there'll be bugs, frogs and sleepy bumble bees, hiding away for the coldest of the cold months. I wish them a happy rest!

(Tuxie, whose fur coat surely keeps her snug...)

And to the rest of us who haven't the ability or desire to sleep away the season -- well, happy Christmas! (Or, happy winter if Christmas is not your thing.)

Breakfast, just a little special, with Panettone, that Italian sweet bread that is enjoyed by so many all over the world on this day. (I have to smile at the size of this one, which, by the way, I did not bake: just big enough for two. Perfect for 2020!)

I have a lot of baking and food prep for this day, but I do not plunge into it right away. The New Yorker pulled together a handful of holiday-themed stories from years past and they sounded so deliciously tempting that I allowed myself a pause to read just some of them. As a gift, the magazine is making them available for sharing. Here's their description, with my links to each story: 

In “Hack Wednesday,” by Margaret Atwood, a Canadian journalist reflects on her marriage and past decisions as Christmas draws near. In “The Burden of the Feast,” Bobbie Ann Mason recounts growing up on her family’s Kentucky farm and explores the nostalgic allure of holiday cooking. In “Winter in Martinique,” Patrick Chamoiseau describes his enchantment with the Christmas pigs that his mother raised while he was growing up in the Caribbean. Lorrie Moore writes [in Chop-Suey Xmas] about the complexities of celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas all at once, and James Thurber offers a parody of “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” drawing inspiration from Ernest Hemingway. In “Year’s End,” by Jhumpa Lahiri, a college student returns home for the holidays to discover that his loved ones have changed in his absence. In “The Christmas Miracle,” Rebecca Curtis conjures a tale of a family gathering that is thwarted by the mysterious deaths of several cats. Finally, Frank McCourt recalls [in Christmas Past] an unconventional holiday dinner that he had with his landlady and her son after returning to New York from a stint in the U.S. Army.

Which ones tempt you? For me, can you guess? Yes, the Kentucky farm (good!) and, too, the disappearing cats (funny, in a strange sort of way)!

There are moments throughout the day when I pause and again, the emotions swell. For the health care workers. For the empty places at tables, for whatever reason. For all of us for whom the vaccination cannot come fast enough. 

(Setting the table for dinner...)

Most of my day is in the kitchen. Baking. The planned buche de Noel takes almost as long as to grow a whole forest of trees. I had tried many recipes over the years and finally, exactly twenty years ago, I settled on one with orange flavored cream and a bittersweet chocolate ganache.  

And the main course? Cornish hens -- another traditional holiday dish for us. I get them ready for the oven.

In the late afternoon, the young family comes. Snowdrop is soooo excited to give me a gift, chosen by herself..

Sparrow is still recovering from a sound afternoon nap, so his mommy helps with the presents. He certainly is on board with the idea of presents!

We all exchange gifts and they are all wonderful! One always wonders what a child will glob onto from the pile before her. Surprisingly, Snowdrop really liked the Wobble. 

The things you can do on a wobble!

I'd thought Sparrow would be too young to enjoy this, but, if Snowdrop likes it then he surely must give it a try...

And now we connect with Primrose!

She, too, gets asked about favorite gift. You can't take a child's word for it, but as of this moment, among all her toys, Primrose chooses .... a pair of scissors and demonstrates the incredibly fun activity of... cutting (while mom gives the old shrug that kids bring out of us so well and so often!)

Okay, the cornish hens are very ready!

The yule log is ready too, but it needs additional touches. Snowdrop applies her artistry...

Later, much later, I have Ed take one more photo before they all take off under a star studded sky. I'll end with this picture, wishing only that the extra little space on my knee had Primrose on it too

I clean up to one last round of holiday music, putting away the last dish to the strains of Silent Night.

With love.