Christmas Eve, Christmas season and family event #3

So I waited to post today until this 4th hour of the afternoon when we can say officially Merry Christmas.  In this part of the world the Christmas season begins now, at the acceptable hour of evening prayer on the eve of Christmas.  Advent is over, the white and/or gold of Christmas joy is on full display at the vigil masses of Christmas which can begin now at this hour.

Even though I've been on vacation from work since sometime Friday I truly feel like today was day #1 of vacation; I think that is because instinctively I knew this was a Monday.  Yet it was different as indeed today is Christmas Eve.  I got to do something I always do, go shopping on this day.  I personally refuse to shop before this day, with the exception of maybe a random on-line deal.  I shopped both this morning before 10 am and again this afternoon around 2:30 pm.

Now in between we managed to start a new family tradition when Wendy and I went to our daughter's house for brunch and a couple of hours of Brennan sweetness.  She received new presents and loved them, and it was especially sweet that Wendy's mom, now gone from us since November 19th, had presents already bought or made and we were able to watch the baby play with those very toys.  And today Brennan used her play-toy walker and started walking across the living room floor.  Both Elizabeth and Mark said she had never done this before and today she couldn't stop, walking around over and over again!  What a sweet blessing to be there today when she decided it was time!  This gathering today was our family gathering #3 and all have been especially wonderful this year, I feel, in large part to the presence of Wendy's mom in our hearts and memories.  She is giving us all that special gift this year, although we all miss her dearly.

So I pray your family visits and Christmas activities are going well, that we all are clearly focused on faith, family and love and thanking God for the gift of Jesus, as a baby, the Word made flesh, who came and dwelt among us.

Advent indeed is over, it's Merry Christmas time, praise be God our Father and His Son, Jesus the Christ!