Some holiday traditions I enjoy:
Egg nog and brandy
Playing A Very Special Christmas album while making cookies and turning up the volume when we get to “Christmas in Hollis.”
Watching Love Actually with Maxine.
Watching The Family Stone with Edwin and Maxine (too cheesy for Chris).
Going to our neighborhood church on Christmas Eve. The pastor (kind of) jokes that it would be great to have this kind of crowd on Sundays. The kids used to grab costumes out of their holiday stash and sashay down the aisles as wrinkled and disheveled wisemen, angels, and donkeys. I think, sadly, they’ve outgrown this.
Holding up the LED “candles” to join in the final hymn of the evening, “Silent Night.”
Practicing Christmas carols from the old Austrian piano book my mom passed down to me.
A white elephant Christmas party with friends (held in the frigid outdoors last year around a fire).
Making potato and cheese enchiladas for New Year’s Eve dinner.
Having a dance party on NYE, but that tradition has fallen by the wayside these past few years.
Making brioche French toast on New Year’s Day as a sweet to the black-eyed peas’ salty.
Making a pot of smoky black-eyed peas and (veggie) bacon on New Year’s Day.
Going for a friends and family hike at Great Falls on New Year’s Day.
I’m hoping to do all of these this year, but the dance party will be a mere whisper of what it was in its glory days, but I’m okay with that.
My Corner of the Village 