Merry Christmas 2013

The more things change, the more they stay the same....
I don't know where I first heard that, but on no day could it be more true than on Christmas.
When the kids were little, we would be up before dawn, wakened by excited little pleading faces, anxious to see what Santa brought.
Nothing could begin until Pop, often somewhat bleary eyed from lack of sleep, having been up very late attempting to assemble some toy, took his shower.
Now we follow our usual morning routine before gathering around Dana's tree to open gifts.
When the kids were little, we would buy mechanical toys which, more often than not, were broken by the end of the day.
Now that they are growing up, the gifts are "devices" which cannot be activated, because the internet is overwhelmed by other recipients of "devices".
Or clothes that are the wrong size or the wrong color.
But in the end, the show stoppers for Will and Peter this year were the little ball and maze plastic puzzles from cousins Maya and Owen, which had to be solved by tipping and tilting the ball through the maze in order to liberate the money within.
Once they ran full tilt from morning to night.
This year we are all having a midday rest before gathering again, this time around our Christmas tree for "Pop Roast", garlic mashed potatoes, salad and profiteroles.
Some things change, but we are always together with family, in person, or by "device". That never changes.