There is no ideal Christmas;

only the one Christmas you decide to

make as a reflection of your

values, desires, affections, traditions.

~ Bill McKibben

And so this Christmas eve, I adorn our house with a cutting from our pine tree in a vase,

and we wrap small gifts for each other, and a squeaky toy for Charlie.

And we put on John Lennon’s Legend cd

we drink wine on the balcony, and reflect on our year together.

And then ~ I make a little box, and cover it with golden stars.

It is our gratitude box ~ and we write on little pieces of paper in glittery pen everything we are grateful for this year. I fill three pieces of A4 paper.

Tomorrow we will spend together. With wine, and cheese. And with gratitude.