Our holiday tradition is a feast with friends around the table that goes on late into the night. The dinner is usually a couple weeks into December. The food has been the same for the last 8 or so years. Paella brimming with everything that looks good at the Pike Place Market and a flaming Baked Alaska for dessert. Our Baked Alaska this year is pumpkin spice ice cream covered by a flourless chocolate cake with a dome of meringue peaked and browned. Finally we light the huge delicious dome on fire with rum and whisky and the kids squeal with delight.
The morning after dinner, we share family gifts and hang around the tree to enjoy one another.
Godfather William comes over to help open presents.
We took a walk downtown after opening presents and did a few loops on the Carousel.
Although I am non-religous, my mother’s side of the family is Jewish. I have taken the girls to Shabbat and Passover with friends, but I my character building comes from a heaping dose of rational thinking, frequent discussions of virtues, accountability and social mores. I love Valerie Tarico’s wisdom commons and Yaffa Maritz’ Character Corner and use many of those ideas with Simone and Naomi.
David’s side of the family is Christian, so sometimes the girls enjoy Christmas or Easter Mass with their Grandmother Elinor. Opera Diva, Frederica von Stade belongs to her Church and sometimes sings. The girls love the music.
Chocolate treats from the cafe at Elliot Bay Books.
Later in the day or the next day we fly to California to visit David’s family for their holiday festivities.
The girls at the Claremont where we stayed this year.
Getting the Slinky to work.
Claremont hallways are great for performances.
There are many ways to play with it.
hee hee hee