Christmas Eve

Oh the magic of Christmas Eve! I remember how it felt as a child, all the family, piles of gifts, everyone around the table dragging out dinner so we would have to wait longer to open our gifts. My Aunt Virginia would protest for the children from the couch, slapping her leg she would insist they hurry up! We all new that if there was an envelope from Aunt Virginia it meant a trip on an airplane! Having no children of her own, her nieces and great nieces, nephews and great nephews were her children. She had managed to keep the twinkle of childhood in her eyes and always arrived with garbage bags full of gifts at my grandmas house. She and my great Uncle Walter were the stuff of dreams to all the children. Tonight, it's my children's turn and though Aunt Virginia and Uncle Walter are no longer with us the spirit lives on through all my Aunties and my Parents! They truly make it magical for Oliver and Molly. Tonight they will hurry through dinner and be tortured just as we were with a long drawn out meal while waiting to open the gifts. Eventually someone will come to there rescue and round everyone up. Then we have our flaming fig pudding, carol singing and home to bed to await Santa. Right not, Oliver is practicing his violin for tonight's singing and I have a mincemeat custard pie baking in the oven that's making everything feel and smell like Christmas. May this be a peaceful eve for the world. Merry Christmas everyone!