DEBORAH CROMBIE: From all of us to all of you, our wonderful community of readers, we wish you a joyous holiday, however you may spend it.
It's certainly been a season of upheaval. At our house we've gone from planning a proper sit down Christmas dinner with family to–hopefully–cinnamon rolls and mimosas on the patio, thanks to the unseasonable tropical weather here in Texas. I'd much prefer a crisp, cold Christmas (a dusting of snow would be lovely) but nature has given us the gift of safer gatherings.
Next year, hopefully, we'll have roast beef with Yorkshire puddings, sticky toffee pudding, Christmas crackers (the kind you pull!), and paper hats. But in the meantime, we are blessed by our connections. Whether they are socially distanced or virtual, or much longed for in person hugs, the Christmas spirit flows through them.
JENN MCKINLAY:: Happy Holidays, Reds and Readers, from a very cold and soggy Phoenix. Wishing you all good things in the year ahead. XOXO
LUCY BURDETTE: We’re lucky to have good weather and be able to hang outside…though I do yearn a little bit for snow and a fresh Christmas tree:). We’re grateful to share the Red space with all you wonderful people! Wishing you a peaceful and healthy Christmas and a much improved new year!
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: We do have a dusting of snow, and it looks–ephemeral, so it’ll be gone in a minute. We are counting blessings and making rack of lamb and we are going to drink the champagne that someone gave me after the publication of TRUST ME. Yes, five years ago! All this has taught me to DRINK the champagne, don’t save it. Try to enjoy what we can. And WOW, all of you are key to that! I cannot imagine life without all of you, and I am so grateful. Love love love, and thank you, and may all your good dreams come true.
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Merry Christmas from Southern Maine, where we are having the proverbial white Christmas; snow on the ground and gentle snow falling through the air. I'm making a super simple dinner for my family, turkey, a spinach and feta quiche for Guest Son, who is vegetarian, and a few side dishes, including a ridiculously rich sweet potato casserole with pecans.
It's the first time since August that I've seen Youngest and Guest Son, and a whole year since we've been able to spend time with Spencer and his sweetheart Veronique. So the biggest gift of all to me is having family around. I wish that for all of you, today and in the year to come.
RHYS BOWEN: Joyful chaos in my household as we have two of my children staying here with family plus dog. At the moment mince pies are bring made while someone is Zooming with her personal trainer in the living room. Tomorrow it will be 15 of us. Crazy but fun
Merry Christmas to all
HALLIE EPHRON: My daughters and son-in-law and grandkids are here making it joyously chaotic! I made a ham glazed with rootbeer and a cranberry trifle. Making new traditions, I hope. Christmas is a wonderful reminder to live in the moment and enjoy your loved ones.
P.S. from DEBS: Maybe I shouldn't say this on Blogger, but it's NORAD for the win on the Santa Trackers! Not a single vote for Google!
Merry Christmas and much love to you all!
Merry Christmas! May the new year bring everyone all the best of everything.
ReplyDeleteWe are having a quiet family Christmas . . . rain here, but no snow. May everyone enjoy the treasures of this special time . . . .
Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteShalom Reds and Readers – Here in the Philadelphia suburbs it is too warm for snow. We had a dusting yesterday but that was all. I went to bed early and consequently was up at 4 am this morning. There is a 6 am AA meeting that I will walk across the street for. Since the pandemic started, I have gone to very few in person meetings, preferring to see people only on Zoom. However, I am up, and Christmas Day is a good day to remind myself of who and what I am. This afternoon, I will share Christmas dinner with my best friend Dave and his family. One of his sons just came down with Covid-19, so he and his wife and young daughter will not be there and so we will only be 7 or 8 around the table. I am bringing gifts for the children. Caldecott Medal picture book winners. Dinner is always remarkable at Dave and Katie’s house. Today, I will not count carbs or check my blood sugar level. I will keep it to one slice of pie and hope for the best. I am listening to an album of the Kings College Choir on Spotify. Wishing a Merry Christmas to all.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Reds and readers!
ReplyDeleteIt's cold enough for the past week's snow to stick around. Unfortunately, it's also warm enough that we have a freezing rain warning in Ottawa, with light freezing rain mixed with ice pellets forecasted to last into the early afternoon.
With record high COVID cases in both Ottawa (600) and Ontario (9581 yesterday), it's a good day to stay indoors and relax. Read, watch some movies/shows and eat some yummy food all day long. I am starting breakfast with my first slice of Italian panettone and the 1st of 6 gourmet eclairs (raspberry chocolate) delivered to my home last night from Cylie Artisans Chocolatiers. Calories are not being counted today, lol.
Raspberry chocolate eclair sounds so delightfully decadent.
DeleteDecadent thy name is Grace!
DeleteDEANA AND ANN: Decadent is exactly how I described that breakfast on FB, lol. Should have mentioned there are 3 types of eclairs: raspberry chocolate, vanilla and plain chocolate.
DeleteGood morning and Merry Christmas. Thank you, Reds, for creating this community.
ReplyDeleteWe are apparently getting snow this morning, although it hasn't started yet, but rain this afternoon. It's just Hugh and me this year, so we'll cook and play cribbage and Farkle and drink mimosas and exchange a few gifts, with a video call with my sons this afternoon. A blessed day.
Merry Christmas Debs. Thank you for inviting me here all those years ago, and for certain sure we will have drinks at Rick's again this summer. Duncan and Gemma brought me thru a tough time in my life, and I'm forever grateful to you for them.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Jenn, and stay dry. I moved to Arizona in January 1979, expecting desert sun. It rained. Only 16 inches a year, but I was there the day we got it all! And there is nothing quite so beautiful as Christmas lights on a saguaro!
Lucy Roberta, what fun it's been to raise our two pandemic puppies together, if only virtually. I only wish that Lottie and Sgt. Pepper could zoomie in person! Merry Christmas and I'll save you some snow this coming weekend.
Hank darling, ALWAYS drink the champagne. And eat dessert first. You Christmas dinner sounds wonderful and so are you!
Ah Julia, Merry Christmas and save me some of that ridiculously sweet sweet potato casserole. I can only imagine what it must be like with all your children under one roof. Blessings on your house.
Dear Rhys, did you get to Midnight Mass? Did you sing? Or is all that on hold for you as it is for us? We did stream it. The choir was thin on the ground. Note to director: When you have eight people on four parts and half are sopranos, do not have one of the tenors play the trombone instead of sing. Merry Christmas to you and your large gathering, and Julie sends her love.
Dear Hallie, thanks you for inviting me into your life this year. It was a privilege. Bittersweet holidays but a time to make new memories -- and experience the old ones. I'm sending you much love every day.
And Merry Christmas to all the readers and writers and lurkers. It will be a standing rib roast with Yorkshire pudding, sprouts and roast potatoes. And asparagus. Out of season. I sent Julie out for a three pound roast but she came back with a three rib roast. Did I mention this before?
Dessert is most anything you want because we have at least one of everything, either made by me or gifted from my lovely neighbors. But come early. The mince pies are going fast. And the sausage rolls are almost gone.
Peace and love
What a lovely comment Ann.
DeleteANN: Lovely tribute to all the Reds and this wonderful online community. Have a safe and happy celebration.
DeleteAnn, you are the writer here today. And a blessing to us!
DeleteOh my goodness, you bring tears to my eyes.… What a joy you are, and what a treasure. Thank you!
DeleteMerry Christmas, Reds and readers! Sending you all lots of love from icy Connecticut this morning!
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful for this lovely, supportive community every day. Ann, your heartfelt tribute to everyone this morning has reminded me again of the chance encounter with one of Debs' dedicated readers which eventually led me here, too. Counting my blessings.
Merry Christmas Reds and Readers.
ReplyDeleteWe have a white Christmas on the ground and in the air here.
We are on restricted contacts but my daughter is coming for the day and it makes me happy.
I love you all. Keep safe. Enjoy your day whatever what you celebrate or not.
Thanks and blessings from the frigid Canadian prairies this Christmas morning, everyone. With the windchill, it's going to feel something like minus 37 degrees Celsius/about minus 34 degrees Fahrenheit. I think we'll stay cozy indoors today!
ReplyDeleteI echo Danielle and Judy: Ann's comment captures my gratitude for the Reds and the readers on this page. May the day be good and may it be loving for us all.
AMANDA: I think you will win the prize as the coldest Christmas commenter!
DeleteOur windchill nothing compared to Winnipeg. It feels like -14C/+7F at 9:00 am. The temperatures will continue to rise to 0C/32F as the freezing rain is scheduled to continue into the afternoon.
Stay warm and safe inside, and thanks for your comments and friendship.
Wow! Stay cozy… And happiest of everything !
DeleteOh Amanda, that’s ��
DeleteAmanda, I don’t envy your -37C. Stay warm and safe.
DeleteMerry Christmas to all! Rain here, but that's okay. Snow has been hit-or-miss for quite a few years now.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Deborah, I loved reading about the NORAD story of how the Santa tracker came to be. The inspiration of the folks at NORAD personifies the Christmas spirit! Google is just a copycat, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Merry Christmas from rainy and 64 degree Cincinnati! The baby sleeps through the night, the brunch casseroles are in the warming drawer, with grilled steaks, baked potatoes, and asparagus for dinner. We're all healthy and well-fed, our first time together since Christmas 2019.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays to Reds and readers from Michigan where it’s 50 degrees and damp. Quiet day today with older daughter. Happily seeing younger daughter next week although briefly. I’m planning a family celebration in January when everyone is back in this area.
ReplyDeleteMerry, Merry Christmas to all you JRW sisters, I also echo all the preceding. I start my day with you even if I am silent often. But most of all my very grateful thanks to Julia and all of you for the welcomes I get with my tales and recipes. I’m blessed right now to all all my chickens under our roof and for my Victor to be here at my side. Each of you has given me a gift in your own unique way. I have a ham, fully cooked yet, and a duck along with a cornucopia of veggies. For the first time in memory no Pud! Everyone is clean eating but we can always whip up something. Plus lots of champagne will fill the spot. I am so blessed with this community.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to everyone here in the JRW community!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to all the wonderful Reds and commenters! The JRW community is a gift all its own!
ReplyDeleteIt is so much fun to read these! Love love love you all…
ReplyDeleteI awoke to a flash of lightning and a bang, not rumble, of thunder. I am flying out today. Any way.
ReplyDeleteHope you all have a lovey hectic, peaceful snowy, sunny and unseasonably warm Christmas with absolutely no cooking disasters.
A happy holiday to all who are celebrating! Here in Wisconsin, it is in the forties and sunny; so much for a white Christmas. I hate cold and snow, but wouldn't have minded it for the one night, last night.
ReplyDeleteI had great fun yesterday because one of our local grocers had GIANT navel oranges on sale, so after buying a sack and trying them (they were excellent!), I bought two more sacks and wandered around our senior apartment building handing out oranges to friends and acquaintances in lieu of Christmas cards. The surprise and delight couple dozen people evinced upon receiving a bigger-than-a-soft-ball-size Christmas orange absolutely made my day, my weekend, and maybe my year. For under $20, I had a lovely day and evening, and recommend that kind of adventure.
Covid means masking and no gatherings as there might have been pre-pandemic-- and a Saturday holiday just makes for disorientation-- but who would have thought that adding orange to red and green would have meant such fun? I wish you all that kind of joy!
What a bright idea and a thoughtful gesture, Ellen. God bless you.
DeleteThat’s wonderful!
DeleteDebRo
A Christmas treat from my childhood
DeleteYes, we always had them in our stockings. Such a treat. So thoughtful, Ellen!
DeleteMerry and bright wishes to everyone.
ReplyDelete(Reality can pause itself for today)
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Thanks for being here for us, Reds.
ReplyDelete"Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing
O rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing"
Gillian B, thank you for sharing this. Lovely!
DeleteMerry Christmas and wishing you all the best of health and happiness!
ReplyDeleteLast Saturday I celebrated Christmas with my handful of Connecticut relatives. Some of them moved out of state a couple of days ago, and we wanted to celebrate before they moved. I was invited to a friend’s for Christmas dinner today. However, a member of that household was exposed to Covid at work, so now I’m staying home. I have lots of new books to read, NY Tines puzzles to do, and I can also choose to watch Christmas movies on Netflix or Prime. Because I already celebrated Christmas, I don’t feel bad about being alone today. It’s kind of relaxing!
Hugs to all,
DebRo
Hugs to you, too, DebRo. That sounds liked a wonderful day.
DeleteMerry Christmas to all. I rarely comment but read every day and love this supportive interesting community 🎄❤ Eileen from MA
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear from you today, Eileen!
DeleteTaking a break from my local chaos to read all the comments - Big smile!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to Reds and readers from the Crown of Maine where, yes, it is a white Christmas :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas, Kait!
DeleteMerry, Happy, Joyous to you all, Reds, and all those who visit here. It’s peaceful here in Portland, slight chance of snow later in the day (it’s just after 10am here), but we’ll see.
ReplyDeleteCheers of the season to everyone! I am so happy to have found you all.
ReplyDeleteWe woke to snow yesterday but rain today and lots of grey. All our personal connections are virtual this year. Our families are spread across North America and Covid has spiked in Ontario so local friends are staying home. Lots of cooking though with only one rather strange outcome so far. Dinner will be roast leg of lamb, scalloped potatoes, gooey sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts with bacon, cranberry sauce, pumpkin custard and a wonderful Amarone Valpolicella. (Thank you Alan Banks and Peter Robinson, for the latter. I would never have tried it.) The weird result? I was making key lime pie -- really, very easy. Normally. Until I opened the can of condensed milk and realized just how long it had been on the shelf. Not quite dulce de leche, but at least half way there. Nothing wrong with it, but caramel isn't really a flavour I would normally pair with lime. Still, the limes were juiced and the can was open so why not? Here's the problem. You know how your brain goes wonky when you are expecting coffee but there is tea in your cup? Same thing here. Your eye says "butterscotch" and your taste buds say, "what?" Odd, but edible, so we roll with the punches. The motto of the year, I think.
Good health and happiness all.
Having a busy and happy time at home - for the first time, it's all three kids AND three potential in-laws! Turkey is in the oven and music is playing in every room, and we're getting ready for a massive and cutthroat Monopoly game. Merry Christmas, everyone!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and yours, dear Julia!
DeleteExcuse me for this change of pace. The cast of writers on jungle red, I think are of my generation. You all appear intelligent and up to date. You have children/grandchildren and therefore are somewhat aware of new trends; tech breakthroughs. Aww, I don't know how to ask, so I'll just get to it. If you: began seeing images (loosely I mean everything from pictures, sketches, notes, movies, etc. "projected" into a bedroom could you figure out HOW? This is through thick curtains and moving across inside walls. AND images of "real" people, like in Star Trek. Believe me or not, still, I would appreciate some resources for investigation. Or maybe someone could use this for a book plot?
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, I am ANONYMOUS.
Warm wishes from warm Houston! We're enjoying a lovely day, celebrating with friends in person and by phone.
ReplyDeleteIt rained on and off today but I was inside listening to Christmas music, watching the Disney Parades and Christmas movies and reading. I watched Die Hard last night since some of you said it was a Christmas movie. I have to disagree but it was a change from the many Hallmark and Lifetime ones. I had turkey thighs, sweet potato, and corn. Merry Christmas to all.
ReplyDeletedecided to let the chicken breast thaw one more day. Had take out sandwich from WaWa. Holiday will come when we are ready, not a moment before. Thanks for all the joy you bring us each and every day, Reds. You are super.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to all and to all a good night 😉
ReplyDeleteI hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Thanks for entertaining us and giving us food for thought and good books to read. It's hot in Georgia, too, with 70s all week and 60s at night. I love cold weather so it's not a fun thing, but I am thankful just to be here. Have a great New Year!
ReplyDelete