Christmas

Dear Mom: I am listening to Christmas music-your favorite. You would love this new artist I found: Michele McLaughlin. She plays simple piano, like Lori Line, only better. Listening to it reminds me of all the Christmas memories I have with you: coming home every year to a lovely decorated house with 2 trees-fake upstairs, real downstairs; homemade Christmas morning cinnamon rolls; Christmas Eve minestrone; playing our O Holy Night duet and laughing so hard because we would mess up so badly; the kids always putting on some kind of Christmas Eve program-and the pride in your eyes at your grandkids, whom you loved so much; hot spiced fruit on Christmas morning; billions of candles lit in your bookcase on Christmas Eve while we listened to Christmas radio or Spike Jones when you would allow it; wrapping presents late at night and stuffing the stockings; reading the Christmas story in Luke and playing mad-libs; so many other memories-can't recall them all but thanks, mom, so much, for lovely, lasting traditions that we all cherish and will for a long time. Here's hoping that this Christmas you can enjoy at least some of them-here's hoping that you will at least feel the love that is behind them all. I love you, mom.