Good Morning.
Christmas Eve is a big deal for hopeless romantics like me, and it has nothing to do with presents unless you still believe they're about to be delivered by a gentleman from the north. In families whose members are all grown up, sort of, and who may be scattered to a variety of locations, the sweaters and smart phones are unwrapped whenever you can get a group together. That might be Christmas Eve or it might not.
The best night of the year calls for mood lighting and really good music like The Nutcracker or lush choral arrangements of the carols or maybe something Baroque. I've always associated Baroque with Christmas for some reason. It brings to mind sleighs and carriages and crunchy snow and street lanterns. And yes, it's better to have snow despite the cold and inconveniences associated with it. An adagio by Bach should be heard with the snow falling onto rooftops and evergreens and streets that are finally quiet and maybe even deserted. Come to think of it, the adagios are probably too slow, maybe even depressing. I think I'll do the Brandenburgs tonight or the Gloria by Vivaldi that's much more upbeat.
Christmas Eve should smell good with cedar logs on the fire and bayberry candles on the mantel and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It should taste good with food that is prepared every year, and it doesn't have to be fancy. I once lived next door to a family who went to church at five o'clock, came home, turned out all the lights except for the ones on the tree, and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows in the fireplace. Oyster stew used to be a popular choice, but it was not a smell or a taste I appreciated so the minute I was on my own, I substituted something with scallops and crab we now call The Seafood Thing. It is served in baking shells I bought in 1967 and they're still intact fifty-one years later. The other menu items are variable but not the dessert. It is French Silk pie, and a single, narrow slice contains an entire day's worth of calories.
I will say my prayers for world peace and for the people I love and I will leave the tree lights on all night. I will pray for patience, not my strong suit, and for an end to all this wretched violence among us and for more tolerance toward people who are left out and lonely and hurt. For them this night is something to be survived, not celebrated. I will hope for another year with my dog who is older than I am in dog years and for good health for all of us. If ever my petitions might find a sympathetic ear, I figure tonight is probably my best bet.
I wish all of you much joy and peace.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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