I have been transported into a Hallmark Christmas special. "The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful..."
Usually from the front balcony of my parent's house in North Carolina I have a wonderful view of the surrounding wooded mountains dotted with cute little farmhouses. But today all I see is the snow being whipped past the window by the howling wind.
Safe inside, the fireplace warms the room where this morning my family and I sat next to the decorated Christmas tree and opened the presents that we had bought for each other. We followed that with a big breakfast and for the rest of the afternoon we just lounged around the house, glancing up every now and then to look through the windows at the falling snow outside.
Tonight, though, the "traditional" Christmas was ended, as we ventured out into the winter weather to watch "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers". We never made it to our big traditional Christmas dinner either. After the filling breakfast and the popcorn and cokes at the theatre, we settled for roast beef sandwiches. Not so Hallmark.
But soon the warm and fuzzy American Christmas scene returned. After eating we headed downstairs where my Dad had set up a screen. For the next few hours we watched old slides of family camping trips, of christenings, of dogs and cats long gone. It was a little bit odd to see pictures of my parents when they were my age, and pictures of my Grandparents when they were my parents' age.
And so that was the Towns' Christmas 2002 with traditions old and new. I hope everyone else out there is having a happy Holiday Season as well... be it Hallmark or not. May we someday have true Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All.
Amen.
:-)