I'm in St. John's, Newfoundland, enjoying some time off with my hubby's family. Yesterday as we were driving out to a town called Paradise, Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy came on the radio. I've heard it before, of course, and I have a case of the humbugs this year, yet it was kind of a magical moment, watching the hilly, wild scenery fly past the car window while listening to Bowie and Crosby banter on about Christmas traditions in their households.
If I was with my own family tonight, we'd be having a dinner of homemade spaghetti and meatballs, and invite the aunts, uncles and cousins over for drinks and treats. They'd all stay quite late, and we'd play cards and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation together. Then the aunts, uncles, and cousins would head home, and we'd open up our gifts Christmas Eve, so that we can all sleep in tomorrow morning.
This year, I'll be partaking of a different tradition. As I type this, my in-laws are out sourcing lobsters for tonight's Christmas Eve feast. When dinner is finished, we'll sit around the table and drink Lew's homemade blueberry wine and tell stories of Christmases past, with neighbours and family dropping in throughout the evening.
Tomorrow morning, we'll open presents and then Chad and I will venture out into "the gut" of Quidi Vidi village, our flasks filled with Irish whiskey. We'll traipse through The Battery and hike up to the top of Signal Hill, overlooking the harbour. Our whiskey walks have become one of my favourite things -- our own little Christmas Day in St. John's tradition.
For now, it's time for coffee (I'm still recovering from Tibb's Eve). I'll be back soon with my Heathen journey, but today, I just want to wish you a very Merry Christmas!
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