Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, hope you're having a great holiday...whichever one it is. Or, if you celebrate none of the December holidays...hope you're having a good day! :) Have I mentioned I love Christmas? Despite everything, it's still my favourite holiday/time of year. As long as people just relax and stop putting so much pressure on themselves... Christmas is about giving and loving...so dammit act like it!!! :P

Had Syl and Spiro over for Christmas dinner last night and then did some of our present opening. Randal, Jen and Kai couldn't join us so we're doing our big family holiday/resent opening today instead of last night. Very weird for us...but we're managing. I think it's amazing, Sylvia has spent more Christmases with my family since 1986 than I have!!! When I was in London and couldn't make it back for Christmas, and the one or two that I've missed since I've been back west, Sylvia still came here every Christmas eve. She has not missed one since 1986. No wonder my parent's consider her another one of their children. I always thought that the amazing friends I had were the norm. But as I get older and meet more people, I realize that it's actually unique. I have friends that I still love and adore (the feeling is mutual) that I have known since I was in elementary and high school. Friends are family.

Anyway, this morning mom and I went downtown to the Hyatt hotel to look at their gingerbread display. It's like the Sunriver ones. They were amazing! Then we went to the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver to look at their Christmas Trees. It's a fundraiser for the BC Children's Hospital, so business "buy" a tree and decorate it. Some were just fabulous and very creative! Others were more traditional but beautiful. Now it's cooking time. I've got to go make some stuffin' muffins (see the recipe from my Thanksgiving post). I'm also making Brussels sprouts. I HATE them...but I've been told it's cause I just haven't had well cooked ones. No boiling of Brussels sprouts! I'm going to stir fry them with garlic and...something, I forget what. We'll see if it changes my mind...

Merry Christmas.