Gingerbread Christmas

I spent a wonderful hour this morning reading How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas while snuggled in bed. When I did finally poke my nose outside to check the weather, I got a blast of cold air! It couldn't have been any warmer than the mid-upper 30s. It finally felt like Christmas.

To that end, Brunch With the Beatles ran its annual Christmas episode this morning.  Though the Beatles didn't do any Christmas songs as a group, they all did holiday music solo. Ringo did a whole album, I Want to Be Santa Claus, in 1999. Other solo songs we heard included John's "Happy Xmas, the War Is Over" and George's "Ring Out the Old." They also played Christmas music done to the tune of Beatles songs by a tribute band and regular Beatles songs that were released during the Christmas season, such as "I Feel Fine" and "Something.

I made French Toast with the last of the whole wheat bread and a half of a grapefruit for breakfast, then called Mom. Mom was happy, if very busy. She was in the midst of working on cookies when I called her and couldn't talk long. My sister Rose, her boyfriend Craig, their son Khai, and I are going to go down to her house on Christmas Eve around 11AM. We'll have a very early buffet-style dinner and let the kids open their presents and let off steam. After we eat, the adults will open their presents.

After I talked to Mom, I made gingerbread people for my nephew Collyn and his father Mike and my brother Keefe's girlfriend Vicki. I have a way to kinda cheat on them. I found a set of two non-stick pans with gingerbread people molds on them at the thrift shop in Collingswood years ago. I used the delicious Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix that's only available at this time of year. It's hard to find...and it's too good not to share. I burned the second batch and ended up keeping most of them, but the molds are pretty big, and four each ended up being more than enough to fill each container.

I spent a pleasant hour after the cookies were done reading more of How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas. I'm just about done with it. I should be moving on to The Great Santa Search tomorrow. It was really nice. I almost never have a quiet hour to myself during the day to just read. That in and of itself was a lovely Christmas treat.

I did have to go to work eventually, though. Work was pretty much the same as yesterday - lines-down-the-aisle busy when I came in, so quiet when I left, I was able to go on time even though my relief was the college-age boy who is always late coming from his other job.

When I got in, I made steaks, green beans and almonds, and fried mushrooms and onions for dinner and listened to the CD I have of radio version of A Christmas Carol with Orson Welles as Scrooge. I listen to it at least once every year. I also talked to Rose and confirmed our Christmas Eve plans.

Oh, and there was another reason it was busy today besides the upcoming holidays. The Eagles were playing a major game with the Jets at home. They came through like lightning and walloped the Jets 45-19.