Sweet Year
So far, I’ve had a brilliant Christmas season and a brilliant Christmas day. I’m sure there’s more to come because this, now, is the twelve days of Christmas and it lasts until January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. So, I can be in the Christmas spirit for at least another ten days, and that feels pretty good. Of course, that’s an old school approach, but I’m old or oldish, take your pick, so I feel free to celebrate as I choose.
Yesterday, I opened presents with my youngest son and middle child who is in flu recovery. I exchanged texts and pictures with my daughter who is in Boston with her family enjoying a white Christmas, and I got a call from my oldest son. I then proceeded to visit friends for crepes and Christmas cheer in the morning, then set out to see other friends for drinks around the fire and additional Christmas cheer in the afternoon.
Along the way, I exchanged gifts. Did you know that gin is water for fun people? It is. I got a good kitchen knife and excellent books on geology. I got some fudge that tastes exactly like the fudge my mother made, and she passed in 1968. So, it’s been more than 55 years since I’ve tasted that fudge. A friend made it yesterday from a recipe her mother used. When you discover your mother’s fudge, you know it’s going to be a good year, or at least a sweet one. And if it’s not a sweet year, then I’ve still got my gin and honey whiskey.
John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver's Tale