That Holiday Kind of Feeling

It looks like the presents are bought (though not all wrapped), the cards are finally out and the tree remains somewhat vertical. Mary and I await the arrival of our guests. I'm not exactly feeling like a "traditional Joe" but I am getting excited about the upcoming events.
My focus is picking up Carole and Daniel at Midway at 2:00 on Friday. The view of AC gliding down the escalator doing her "Snowy Dance" is a sight to behold. The call to Mary announcing that "Our packages have arrived" ignites our anticipation for the big event: the moment when we pour our first cocktails of the season and Mary and Carole simultaneously stick their musical swizzle sticks in their drinks as we laugh and clap with joy that the season has truly begun. This is a tradition as dear and as ritualized as any Margaret Mead might have hoped to observe in a lifetime of cultural study. The drinks will continue until Mary announces that we need to start thinking dinner, which I will already have thought about and our evening will continue until we need to call it a night.
Speaking of night, Sometime during the day, Brian and his friend Debbie will arrive and they are going to drive down to KKK (that's short for Kankakee) to spend the day with Alyshia, Matt (his kids) and Aaron, Alyshia's husband. As Carole, Mary, Daniel and I celebrate, we will be waiting for Brian and Debbie to arrive. Carole and Debbie have not met. That should be interesting.
Oh Gosh, Nora! We don't exactly know when Nora will be coming in, but for Mary and me, having her home will be the real kick off for the season. What's Christmas with out a kid? Even if the kid is almost 20.
Now Sean should be coming in sometime during this process. I hope it's Friday because frankly I need him to cook. Sean will have carte blanche in my kitchen during this holiday. His first performance will be Saturday when we have our first official party. I guess I'll call it "Breakfast with Aunt Stel". I haven't actually discussed the menu, but Brian and Debbie want campaign and orange juice. Why ruin good orange juice with champagne? Sean has this potato thing. My dad used to make scrambled eggs and bacon for special occasions. But yet there's this breakfast casserole from Paula Dean's book that looks like a real artery clogger...we'll see. Gotta have sausages and gluten free pancakes. Carole will want a dip egg and Mary will say "me too". Special orders for Moms. Oh, and I'm hoping Sean will have made the famous coffee cake. It's a recipe that my mom got years ago and has been a holiday tradition for 40 or more years.
Anyway, Brian and Debbie will be there. Matt, Alyshia and Aaron are coming up. I hope Charles will be with us as well. And of course the guest of honor will be Aunt Stel. So it looks like there will be plenty of people and plenty of food for day two of the Christmas holiday. I think Mary and I are on for communion Saturday night.
Sunday could be a "free day".
Christmas EVE generally involves getting up late, more breakfast and personal agendas. Carole likes to go to the mall. Why? I don't know. Nora sometimes goes. She has taken the kids in the past. This year there are no little ones so I don't know what she will do. Mary and I will do a lot of wrapping. Carole doesn't actually start wrapping until she gets back and then it's all about her wrapping so we better get out of the way. We will have a little dinner (I'm thinking mussels)and then Mass at ten o'clock.
Christmas morning is a gift fest. There are presents opened according to Mary's formula: Oldest to youngest (teaches patience), scones, tea and coffee and then getting dinner started while we all try to steal away a little play time.
Brian and Debbie will have left on Christmas Eve so Christmas may be just seven of us. Charles becomes the guest of honor. And if there are only seven of us, it will be definitely a standing rib roast.
I think the 26th is a recovery day with more guests due to arrive on the 27th for a big Wheeler reunion. Tim, Gina and Grace will be coming in from St. Louis and Amber and Scott and Hawkins will be coming in from Louisville. We will be serving a big honking lasagna. The 28th will be a recovery day for Mary and me. Carole is going out with Ruth and we will all take Aunt Stel out for dinner later that night. Saturday, Carole and Daniel return to Florida and Mary, Nora and I will be sad for their departure but probably glad that we will be our nuclear family again.
Well, that's the plan. I'll do some updates during the week.
In the mean time,
Peace to you and to those you love.
Give us a call, send us an email or just stop by. After all, that's what the holidays are for.
Rob