Tales of Christmas

We have enjoyed a most wonderful Christmas this year. Fortunately we dodged the flu bug that has been going around, or maybe we had it several weeks ago. The fall semester came to a close last Friday and we slid right in to the holidays.

THE HOBBIT. One thing we did last weekend in celebration of the holidays was all go out to see the latest Hobbit flick, The Desolation of Smaug. We went for a matinee and enjoyed eating out and some shopping afterwards. The movie was excellent, but given how far they got into the book with this installment we are all left wondering what’s left the show in the final part next year.

A SIGN OF THE TIMES. Vicki gets a lot of her shopping done early, and a good part of that is done online now, but she still enjoys doing some last minute shopping right before Christmas. One thing we noticed last Saturday—and which Vicki also commented on each time she went shopping—was the absence of people. Traffic has been light, parking easy, and stores somewhat empty. It has really left us wondering just how much of this is due to online sales. Whatever the cause, the way we shop is changing and our shopping experiences today may become stories my grandchildren have a hard time imagining, sort of like kids today imagining life without a cell phone.

HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES. I’ll begin reporting on our holiday activities with our church service last Sunday. Vicki and Jenna sang What Child Is This as a duet with Sharon Robinson accompanying on the harp just before the service began. I think they knocked it out of the part as did several other people who commented on their song after the service was over.

Monday evening found us at Kenny and Lori’s for their annual Christmas party where we ate more than we should have and got a chance to visit with friends.

We went to church Tuesday evening for the Christmas Eve service. Bro. Bill and Cindy hurried away after the service was over as his youngest son, Barrett, had taken his wife, Noel, to the hospital because she was in labor with their first child. They live near Atlanta, but Bro. Bill and Cindy arrived in plenty of time to see their latest grandson born the next morning.

Christmas morning we opened presents here at our house and went over to Mrs. Connie’s for her traditional brunch. That evening we went over to Mom’s and ate supper.

Thursday and Friday were quiet, but today we enjoyed the company of Grant and Robin Luton as they dropped by for lunch while visiting Middle Tennessee.

All in all it has been a very typical Christmas for us. We are, if nothing else, predictable. I’m not complaining.

SO, WHAT DID WE GET FOR CHRISTMAS? Christmas get’s smaller as the kids get older. The boys were content with gift cards to buy games for their Nexuses and Nintendo DSes. Jenna simply wanted money to fund her trip to Haiti. Given that and some plans we have for the upcoming year we were happy to keep it small. I think Nate gets the coolest toy award for the Perplexus that he received.

I repeated my gift idea from last year and gave Vicki, the kids, and Mom copies of the third and forth years of the Swann Family News in book form.

I think this will be the last time I attempt to write for the year, so, I wish you a Happy New Year and hope to catch you again before school resumes the week after next.

Joe