Every year I make some sort of holiday card…
But this year we are working through the holidays for a client, so no time!

Working this year is a good year to do it because it is a bad year for visiting…
Don’t feel badly for us — we will take time after the 28th,
and enjoy pulling the plug on the phones and enjoy
blessed silence, good food, and sleeping in.

I love Santa and stockings best!

When I found out my mom was Santa, she showed me how the tradition delights of making others happy, and how that was THE spirit of Santa.
She took me to shop for her stocking — I was nine —
and looked the other way while I shopped and wrapped.
I loved the first time I signed notes from all the reindeer, Frosty, all our pets,
and the Clause’s (she kept them all)… An orange or tangerine always went into the toe.
Stockings were about letting the person know you knew them well —
and was a chance as I got older to get new make-up, little earrings,
and of course, our favorite candies.  This is one of my favorite memories of her.

We’ve ALWAYS done stockings, my favorite part.
This year Santa is coming late as we are not going to take off until the 30th.
He told me he’d circle back to drop our stockings off for New Year’s Eve!

No tree this year — I’m a little sad as the tree now is for the cats,
our favorite family members.  They don’t bother the hot lights.
We put colorful cat toys and no longer fight them on climbing into it.
We enjoy their play.  Maybe someday we will do a normal tree again.

From last year! 

One thing that is a new tradition this year is that we have set up the roof
over the loading dock as a giant bird and squirrel feeder.
Twice a day we caw and let them know the food is being tossed out —
They come running now as it is cold and because so many businesses
around us are closed their scraps are less this year.
Crows, Bluebirds, juncos, mourning doves, birds I’ve not identified yet
and the occasional sea gull enjoy the goodies.
I love having a squirrel-head or two to make us laugh,
and this gives the cats something to worry about!

Find ways to make the most of this strange year —
Make sure you laugh!
I know we’ll watch some old holiday movies but also watch mysteries
and high-body-count movies — exciting thrillers!
Remember somebody loves you, even if they are far away this year.
Find comfort foods… mine are cookies and lasagna and fried chicken!

The video below is the funniest thing I have seen in years —
Seriously worth every moment!