Holiday Cheer with Eden Fantasys

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Means a little bit more

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more." ~ Dr. Seuss

This year my Christmas means a little bit more as I am with my family.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

It's December - Really?

* We had a chance to have lunch with good friends before we have to hit the road for the holidays. It was a lunch in unexpected place because none of the other options were available but we made due, We had good talks with like minded people who get us. It is so good to get together with them.  Also got a cute cute fabric candle ring she made - so cute!

* It was good to hang out and talk with them as lately I just feel so out of touch with all my friends. I haven't chatted with so many friends on im or phone lately and it is making me feel very far away from them. I miss them.

*We had out time at home cut down from having a week left to having 3 days. So I have had to cut all baking from my to-do list and if you had read this blog for any length of time you know I love to bake at the holidays so it is really hard for me to cut that off my list. It just doesn't seem like the holidays this month to me. Only thing that has been so fun is that I am making a gift for everyone on my list that is just a lot of fun and has a lot of meaning to me.  So that is making this time special.

* Domestic Servitude is posting every day in December and it isn't just me posting! :)  Please go check out all the great posts!

* I am so silly happy that a change in our holiday plans from flying to driving means we can meet up with teacup. yay!

 * Although I feel 2011 just flew by because it was so busy - it was a much better year then 2010.  Despite my health problems it still was a better year then 2010.  So many things to count as wonderful memories and blessings.

Holiday

This is will be a list of life...

* Master hand wrote me a love letter last weekend. I feel very blessed to be owned by such an amazing man. We really get the mushy romantic times and the fun sick SM too. It is having our caking and eating it too! yay us!

* I have been having a rough Christmas season. My Christmas spirit has been lost. But I know that is normal after such a hard year of loss.

* But finally last night I started to get into it. Excited. I went through the motions for weeks - doing baking, making just a few things, getting the house decorated but it wasn't until baking one final batch of cookies that I started singing with the holiday music and smelling the aroma of warm cookies baking that I started to feel excited about the holidays.

* Master and I are going to go look at lights tonight - one of our favorite holiday traditions. We grab starbucks and then drive around looking at lights. We got a little preview the other night that was good but also funny. There were 2 houses with lots of lights and the the house before it only had a few lights in the window but as we were going past it I noticed the lights were shaped into an arrow and a word above the arrow. I couldn't make the word out. You know those optical illusion posters - I never see it. And that is how I felt trying to figure out the word so I pointed it out to Master. He figured it out - it had an arrow pointing to the 2 festive houses with the word DITTO above it.


* Someone left a comment yesterday and then deleted their comment. They linked me to a thread about me. It was the usual things I have heard before and won't give it anymore time then I just did by reading the thread. But I would love to chat with the person that left me the comment. Please feel free to email me at danaewhispering@yahoo.com


* Not sure if you have noticed yet but I have reposted a few older posts. I am basically reposting some of my favorites. And I am going to continue to do that through 2011.

* It is one of my good friends from Ohio's birthday today so sending her birthday love! I love you Moni and hope you have a beautiful day celebrating YOU!


Wishing you and yours holidays filled with joy and love!

Sit on Santa's Lap

I know most people have seen it but I am just making sure you have entered the Sit on Santa's Lap at FetLife. The last day to enter is January 4th, 2010 so you want to get over to FetLife and enter before then!

Happy Holidays!

This year has been the least I have blogged. But I don't want to give up writing here so I hope those of you that read will keep hanging on with me. And I hope that I will be able to write more this next year.

We have had an incredibly busy but good year. I am very thankful for all we have in our lives...especially each other. Master and I recently were saying we might not like where we live and need a bigger home but we are blessed we have a roof over our head with so many out there struggling to make mortgage payments. We have a business that keeps growing. It pays our bills and allows us to do some fun things. It allows us to be together all the time. I remember when I was nervous 2 years ago that we might have problems adjusting to being around each other all the time but it was quite the opposite. We enjoy all the time we have together...whether during work or play it is all time we have together we count as one of our blessings.

Some simple pleasures of right now...

A white Christmas - snow on the ground and more coming our way
Christmas carols playing
Cookies and candies on the table
the tree all decorated even added an Obama ornament to it today
Hot apple cider in a cute Christmas mug

And tonight we will have dinner and then do one my favorite traditions with Master...go look at Christmas lights.

I know these are just a few things but recognize that I have many things to be counting as blessings in my life.

I wish all of you Happy Holidays!

Holidailies

Maybe some of you noticed but I am not participating in Holidailies this year. One reason being that I know this month is going to be busy especially with us being gone last week. So I just didn't feel I could commit to it as I am going to be playing catch up the rest of the month.

But I wanted to pass the link on to read some posts from others participating...vanilla and a few kinky mixed in there. Adult entries are marked.

Here is my posts for years past...
December 2005
December 2006
December 2007

Simply Service Holiday Issue

Bootpig announced that the special holiday issue of Simply Serivce is out. 28 pages of amazing "holiday goodness" sums it up!

It is online at Sensual Service - Simply Service Archive. But you could also subscribe to it at SimplyService-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. And you will be subscribed for all future issues plus receive the Holiday Issue automatically.

A big thanks to Bootpig and Porkchop for putting it together! It looks absolutely amazing!

(couldn't resist the holiday icon with pigs!)

The Gift of Love

This morning I woke up seeing the Christmas tree in the living room from our bedroom...all the lights on it were sparkling. And Christmas music just starting to float through the air. It was Christmas! We were out of town with family on the actual Christmas so decided to have our traditional Christmas celebration today. The stockings were packed full, the presents spilling out from under the tree and it really did feel like Santa had visited our house last night.

We opened our stockings first....I pulled out a folded piece of paper...that had me in tears the first line. Master has a way with heartfelt feelings coming through in words. It basically was a reflection of this past year together and just over all our time together that touched me deeply. His words were beautiful and full of love. We may be Master and slave but we are romantics at times too. Today was definitely filled with that romance and love.

I am very grateful for each moment together. As I said in my last post there are moments everyday that make my life truly special. And of all the gifts under the tree that letter will be one I cherish and remember always. Because it is the gift of love. I know I am being all mushy...believe me I am sitting here in tears as I type. I am very blessed and grateful for being a part of His life. And I love you very much Master!

Deck the Halls....

Prompt from Holidailies: Tell us about your strangest or most unique holiday decoration.

I think the most unique holiday decorations in our house is the bears all around the bottom of the tree. I started out with the little red flyer wagon from Hallmark and the Teddy Bear Trevor. They were given to me by my ex-husband. And then after that I added a few and he gave me 2 more and a little sled before we parted ways. Another decoration that is unique...I think....is putting the paper garland in the glass cupboards so they show through.

I love to decorate for all holidays but especially for Christmas. When I was married, we had a really cute old house that was fun to decorate inside and out. We never went all out with lots of lights or yard decorations but we did outlined our porch and the pillars on it had lights going around them plus big red bows. I had "fake" potted mini ever green that sat right as you came up on the porch decorated in lights and little silver and red ball ornaments. And then I made a wreath for the door....it was one of those wood vine wreaths that wrapped with plaid ribbons. And then some handmade felt ornaments in different shapes were attached to it. I think the felt ornaments were a mitten, christmas tree, candy cane, a heart with some holly leaves and berries on it...and I think there were 2 more but I can't think of them at the moment. But that was the only outdoor decorations really. It was simple but my ex and I liked it. Master and I discussed our next house -- if we will decorate or not. And we want simple too....white lights and wreath...not much more.

It is my hope when we move that we can have more the one tree too. When I was growing up we had several trees. Two to four depending on how much time my Mom had....one in our entry that was tall skinny and was done in whites lights, ribbon and all angels. And then the one in the family room was done in all the ornaments we made as a kid, paper chain garland mixed with popcorn and berry hand strung garland and LOTS of multi-colored blinking lights. The living room had one that kind of changed over the years....always had lots of different ornaments on it...hallmark to handmade. But light colors changed over the years....one year white...another blue....one kind of a goldish color. And then my Mom did bows on the tree. Then the forth was at the top of the stairs on the landing you could see it from our living room. It was a little mini tree that just had lights and bows on it. So it is my hope to be able to have more then one tree when we get a bigger house.

We are going to celebrate our Christmas Saturday. So right now there are presents under tree and lights sparkling. And I hope to be able to enjoy ALL the Christmas decorations just a little while longer.

Merry Christmas...(a day late)

Well I missed yesterdays post....but we were a little busy with Christmas!

Master and I were at his parents. It was a nice day but a full day of family coming in and out all day. We were up really early because well Santa came! And our cats couldn't wait to open their stockings. All in all it was a good Christmas. A nice time with family and Master.

We will be celebrating our Christmas on Saturday. Opening gifts and having our traditional dinner -- well mostly because we have had a lot of ham the last few days so thinking of doing a pork tenderloin in the place of the meat.

I was able to go shopping this morning. I love after Christmas shopping. The decorations, home decor and paper goods are things I enjoy buying after Christmas so Master took me out and spoiled me. Everything I wanted Master bought me! I am a very lucky girl. I got some little hand towels for the bathrooms, cards, tags, mailing labels, stickers, napkins, napkin rings....AND STOCKINGS! Master and I have been needing new ones. These are a wool - one red one green with our initials on them...very simple but Master and I like them!

After that we hit a few more places plus had breakfast at on of our favorite places over there. We also got a chance to go to World Market. They had 75% off all their Christmas items so I got a few ornaments really cheap.

We are now home. Master looked at the weather and realized tomorrow is suppose to get bad so we came home early. So it has been a long day with shopping and then 4 hours of traveling.

I am exhausted and we have to get up early tomorrow to run errands and get ready to celebrate our Christmas on Saturday.

I hope everyone had a VERY Merry Christmas....filled with happiness and love!

Update and Traditons

Well probably be quick post as I am out of town and not really a lot of free time.

We had a good day although very long. We are just ready to go to sleep for a few days. We went to bed at 12:30pm and got up at 5:30am. Then it has been a day of celebrating with family. Although very good.....very long.

We had a TON of food. Really I think I am going to suggest a change for next year -- that we all bring less. As really the food could feed all 13 of us for a week I am sure. But it was all great! The mint thins I made were the surprise hit....not that it was surprising really --- the surprise came when I told people how I made them.

Tomorrow we might go see The Golden Compass. yay! I have been wanting to see it so excited when Master suggested it!

There was a prompt that asked what holiday tradition means a lot to you and why...

I mentioned on Friday we went out looking at lights and that is one of my favorite holiday traditions with Master. Really Christmas Eve traditionally is my favorite time/tradition. We have a really nice dinner, wine, at times dance and then go out and look at lights. We come home and just enjoy the time with each other....knowing how blessed we are to be together enjoying this journey. So although we aren't going to be home tomorrow....I know I will look at him throughout the day tomorrow and still reflect, remember, and remind myself how truly blessed I am.

Just Life....

Doing an update of what is going here...

I talked with my Mom on the phone tonight. It was a long and good conversation. We hadn't talked in a couple of weeks so glad to be able too just chat. She told me I was on the ball this year as they got their present way early and card. I told her I really thought it was because the tree and decorations around the house were up earlier then usual. Most of the time things kind of fall all together...where I am rushing to decorate, shop, do cards and bake all within a short time frame of each other. But this time it was like one thing ended the next started and it wasn't a rush between. Last week was pretty busy but it still wasn't like years past. So I got cards out, did letters with a few of them, got shopping, baking and mailed out packages and this week really I haven't had much Christmas stuff to do. I actually have had a pretty laid back week - and thank goodness for that as I had 2 migraines.

So it has been a very pleasant Christmas season for me. I have been enjoying it thoroughly.

My Mom sounded really tired and that bothered me. It sounds like she really hasn't done her usual Christmas things. She hardly baked. Sounds like she didn't have as many parties this year either. And one she is having on Sunday doesn't sound like she is thrilled about it at all. And if you have read this blog for anytime you know my Mom is the reason I love Christmas. She just made it very magical and fun. So that has me a little concerned. I know some reasons for it but it still made me feel sad.

What else...

Tonight Master and I went out looking at lights! We got some starbucks, turned on XM Holly, sang and went looking at all the pretty lights. There is one neighborhood that really has great lights. They have a pond and the lights reflect on the pond.

We reflected on the last year a bit. It has been busy. I do remember though last year at this time he was just starting to use a cane after his knee injury. So I am glad his knee healed and is better! Another I am thankful for is that it has been great year for his business. It just keeps growing and I am VERY grateful for that! We got to go see my family this past summer and have a celebration that was incredible. One I know I will always remember and cherish. There are many more moments of course. But I should wrap this up...

Tomorrow is packing and just getting ready to leave on Sunday for Master's parents.

Christmas Quizzes

Your Christmas Sprit Level: 85%

Your Christmas spirit is almost as big as Christmas itself. Christmas is definitely your thing. You celebrate Christmas with enthusiasm. You love every minute of the holidays. Your Christmas spirit is inspiring to everyone who runs into you during the holidays. You make everyone's day just a little bit brighter. And that's what the holidays are all about!

Do You Have the Christmas Spirit?

Home Corners

A friend of mine started a tradition on Tuesdays called Home Corners. I have been lapse on posting them. But I do so enjoy them so with the house being all decorated for Christmas I definitely wanted to do at least one!


Okay please ignore the crooked pictures. When I was hanging the garland I bumped them and didn't straighten them before taking the picture. The Santa in a Sleigh is a Jim Shore. Master and I both saw him at the same time. It was an after Christmas sale where we had already been to the cash register 2 times before seeing it. Soooo the clerk asked us if wanted to just stick around all day. :)


There are quite a few glass cupboards in Master's house and so I put garland inside on the shelves of each so you can see it. I have some with snowmen, nutcrackers, angels and santa's.


Bears under the Christmas tree. We have kitty cats that sit under the tree too and you will see their faces peeking out from between bears. It is so cute of course hard to catch a picture of it though.

Christmas at Home or Away....

Tonight I watched one of those cheesy sappy Christmas movies on ABC Family. It was called Snowglobe. I watched it while I cut and wrapped about 70 chocolate caramels.

The synopsis from online: "Everybody has their own ideas about what constitutes a "perfect" Christmas. Angela is about to get hers when she is transported into a mystical snowglobe. Will it really be better than how her holiday usually goes?"

It was very predictable but I still enjoyed it. I love Christmas too but I never had looked for the perfect Christmas. Because each one has something about it that makes it "just perfect." Of course there are things would like to do someday. Like Master would like to spend Christmas in a cabin in the mountains -- having snow falling outside while we are snuggled up in front of a fire. I think that sounds pretty good too. But how we spend Christmas most years is pretty good too. And usually that is just us and the kitty cats. Christmas Eve we have a big dinner....ham, creamed potatoes, green beans, homemade rolls and then Christmas goodies. Then we drive around looking at the lights. Christmas Day morning is opening stocking, presents and having cinnamon rolls. We then just have left overs for Christmas dinner. Usually ham sandwiches and such and watch movies. It is just quiet, peaceful and very cozy!

This year though we are going to Master's parents. We went to my parents in 2004 and then every other Christmas has been just us. But this year we are spending it with his parents. They are THRILLED. And I am glad they are but I know both of us will miss just having Christmas alone.

Favorite Christmas Recipe

I have been a baking fool the last 3 days. One thing that can be tricky is I live in a higher altitude. And because of it I get inconsistent baking results. Last year I made Chocolate chip cookies with peppermint bark and they turned out really great mounded in nice round scoops -- this year same recipe made flat cookies. They taste good but they are flat.

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies last year...


This years....


But my favorite recipe holiday cookie recipe that smell good, look pretty and taste great are Cardamom Butter Cookies. I roll them out and do cut outs. This year I did Christmas trees, stars and snow flakes. But I was having a few problems with the dark chocolate drizzling right. But still had fun playing Jackson Pollack. I haven't taken a picture of this year yet. But this is a picture of last years....



For cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

For espresso and chocolate icings
1 teaspoon instant-espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), melted

Special equipment: 2 small heavy-duty sealable plastic bags (for icing; not pleated) I just drizzle it on with a spoon

Make cookies:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice in a bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 4 minutes with a handheld. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Form dough into 2 (12-inch) logs (1 1/2 inches in diameter), each on its own sheet of plastic wrap. Use plastic wrap and your hands to roll, press, and square off sides of logs. Chill logs on a baking sheet until slightly firm, about 1 hour, then smooth logs with plastic wrap and flat side of a ruler to achieve straight sides. Chill logs on baking sheet until firm, about 1 hour.

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut enough scant 1/4-inch-thick slices from a log with a knife to fill 2 large ungreased baking sheets, arranging slices about 1 inch apart (chill remaining dough, wrapped in plastic wrap).

Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes total. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

Ice cookies:
Whisk together espresso powder, vanilla, and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk until espresso powder is dissolved, then add confectioners sugar and enough additional milk to make a thick but pourable icing. Spoon into a sealable bag and snip 1/8 inch off a bottom corner.

Spoon melted chocolate into another sealable bag and snip 1/8 inch off a bottom corner.

Pipe some espresso icing and chocolate over each cookie and let cookies stand on racks until icing sets, about 2 hours.

Cooks' notes:
• Dough logs can be chilled 5 days or frozen, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, 1 month (thaw in refrigerator just until they can be sliced).
• Cookies (with or without icing) keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.

(above recipe is from Epicurious)

Now I need to go make trays up and also make a crab dip for a party we are going to tonight.

Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? both -- I use some of each

2. Tree: real or artificial? growing up it was always a real tree in the living room and then 2 artificial other places in the house. Master and I have an artificial. One though of those good memories with Jim was us going to a tree farm where we got to go pick out our tree....walking in the snow out through the farm was just really a nice quality moment for us.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually after Dec. 6th. This year the tree was up before then but not decorated until after because of being busy

4. When do you take the tree down? Around the 6th of January

5. Do you like eggnog? No

6. Favourite gift received:
Early years: a doll named Stephanie
Preteen years: I think I was about 10 when I got fashion plates and I loved it
Teen years: a pink long wool coat
Now: the little drawers Master got me stand out














7. Do you have a nativity scene set up? umm yes sort of. It has a manger, angels and sheep and that is it

8. Hardest person to buy for: Master or Master's family. Master because most of the time if he wants something he gets it. And although he has interests quite a few of them I have problems buying things for because I have no knowledge of them. Master's family is hard too just because it is hard to decide what would be a good "family" gift that we don't repeat a million times

9. Easiest person to buy for: most of my friends I find it easy to buy for...always seeing things for them.

10. Worst gift ever received: a sweatshirt with puffy plastic stuff in the shape of bears pushing shopping carts in a weird pink

11. Christmas cards: I like sending them out and I like getting them. Today we got the most beautiful Christmas card from an artist friend and it made Master and I both go damn....that is what we should be doing. Between the both of us we could come up something just as amazing. Really though her art....always leaves me speechless.

12. Favorite Christmas movie: Miracle on 34th Street

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I try to start in September or October but mostly it gets done in November and December.

14. Have you ever "recycled" a Christmas present? no but returned quite a bit

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas: everything sweet! I have a total sweet tooth...sour cream cookies, chocolate caramels, cardamom cookies, my Mom's pecan tarts....and so on and so on

16. Are the tree lights clear, colored, or both? colored but solid colored. We have all red lights on our tree. Someday when we get another house -- I hope to have more then one tree and something else - all white or the multi-colored lights.

17. Favorite seasonal song: Grown Up Christmas List

This is Kelly Clarkson but really my favorite version is by Amy Grant




Grown - Up Christmas List Lyrics

18. Do you travel or stay home for Christmas? We usually stay home. We went to my parents in 2004 and this year we are going to Master's

19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Blitzen, Donner, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid and Rudolph (are there any I am missing?)

20. Do you have an angel or a star on top of your tree? We have a star. I have a beautiful angel that now sits on our table on a metal charger because there is now way our little tree would have been able to hold it. But more then that we really wanted to have a star. We still haven't found the perfect one. We found one we loved 2 years ago after Chrsitmas but it again was too heavy. This year I found a metal white washed star ornament but fairly large and so Master drilled some holes in it and we tied it to the top with jute. It works but I think neither of us are totally satisfied with it yet.

21. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? Christmas morning. My family growing up always did gifts on Christmas eve and stockings and gifts from other relatives Christmas day. It always made Christmas very magical for me when we did them on Christmas eve because the candles, the glow of the snow through the windows.....it just seems more cozy.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year: parties

23. Favorite seasonal tradition: putting up the tree with Master

24. Family member you try to stay away from: one of my aunt's -- we sent her a Christmas card this year and Master I think fainted when he saw I included her.

25. Do you attend any religious services in celebration? No and sometimes I miss it and other times I don't. Because I have such mixed religious beliefs but I really have always liked Christmas Eve services....again they have this magic and energy that just is amazing to me.

Neurotic

I often am very sad because I am pretty isolated here. I don't have a lot of friends. I miss my friends in Ohio so much. I took for granted all the time we had together. The friends I have here....are really Master's friends. They were his friends from before I moved here so there is this thing of them knowing him longer so they are his friends who accept me there but I never feel totally welcomed if that makes sense. I always feel a little on the outside.

Tonight I really needed to get some baking done as today kind got caught up in some other things. But we had a friend in town that actually is one of those people I feel a little more comfortable around then most of our friends. So her and Master's best friend were going to get together for drinks and we was invited. Well...I chose baking. Master told me it was up to me -- that I could come. But I chose baking.

As the night has wore on I knew that part of me chose baking because I didn't want to feel the awkwardness and out of place feelings. I didn't want to try to think of what we will talk about, what I should wear and every other little thing I get obsessive about...so I used baking as an excuse to not go. I mean really yes I have a lot to do but this -- going out like this --- is a very rare occasion. Master just isn't the type to go hang with friend very often. So to have him do this too -- is something I probably should have taken advantage of.

This weekend we will be going to two parties. One is with the usual friends that I feel out of place with. And then the other is important to go to -- for business so almost makes me more nervous as I have to be really on as I don't want to be a bad reflection of Master. So more obsessing.

I love this time of year for so many reasons but parties isn't one of them. It is the only time of year that I get this neurotic.

A Little Gratitude...

I am thankful for...

1. Mail Love! For getting Christmas cards from friends and family and also getting all our Christmas cards mailed out.
2. Cookies and Treats....I am thankful that my treats will be enjoyed by many people and that I just like baking.
3. The Christmas Tree....it is so pretty!
4. Christmas music to make me feel so happy!
5. That a lot of our shopping is done!
6. Airborne....because whenever I feel a cold coming on I feel better after a few times of taking it.
7. Chinese food...oh how I love it...Master treated me to it tonight since I would be working hard baking.
8. For a roof over our head, food on our table and just being able to enjoy life.
9. For our kitty cats looking so cute always.
10. Master....I am truly blessed to be a part of his life and get this time to celebrate the magic of Christmas with him.