December 23rd ~ Blind faith and Tidings of comfort and joy

This was a reply I made to Inger earlier this month, but I feel like sharing my favorite Christmas tradition with all of you.

Ever since I was a little girl (perhaps since birth) my family would go to my blind Aunt Edie's and deaf Uncle Johnny's house on Christmas Eve. (Aunt Edie is now 87...Uncle Johnny passed away about 10 years ago ~ but we are still doing this.)
Aunt Edie plays the organ and we all sit in a circle in her tiny living room, eating salami and cheese and crackers, drinking "tiddlies" (burbon and 7up) (the kids just drink the 7up lol) and singing Christmas carols.

We have specific songs that we read off of very old song sheets. We start with something merry like Deck the Halls...in the middle we get more serious with Silent Night...and our last song is ALWAYS The 12 Days of Christmas...with each of us taking a different part. I love listening to Aunt Edie sing. She is usually the only one on key....and her voice is so sweet. It makes me think of the stories she has told over the years of singing and harmonizing on the beach in Santa Cruz with her sisters. Very Annette Funicello. :)

After an hour or so of singing and snacking, we pile into multiple cars. Someone stops and picks up vats of take out Chinese food from a litle hole-in-the-wall Chinese food restaurant. The rest of us drive around looking at Christmas lights and sucking on Candy Canes with Aunt Edie....who squeals excitedly over their beauty even though she can't see. We then proceed to my Mom and Dad's home for the take out Chinese feast.

The kids all eat in the family room....and the adults all sit together in the kitchen laughing, and raving over this year's usually spectacular tasting Chinese food menu items. When none of us can eat another bite...at the adult table we pass around the fortune cookies...and read them outloud to each other, ending each fortune with the words "In Bed" which cracks everyone up.

There are three generations of family gathered at the adult table. The 4th generation has just as much fun with each other in the "kid room" eating and watching movies and enjoying each other.

It's my favorite tradiotion of all.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and Peace on Earth to everyone. :)