This Wednesday we ventured into the snowy woods to cut our own Christmas tree. Right  now, it is covered in lights and presents are in a colorful array beneath it. My mother is taking an apple pie and a cherry pie out of the oven and making a cheesecake, and our Labrador is lying at the foot of my father’s chair. Our Christmas is not white, but it is cozy and familiar and oh so wonderful.

I wish you all a Merry Merry Christmas!