It's Christmastime in the Suburbs

And I am SO behind. I haven't sent any Christmas cards. I printed out several yesterday, and addressed them this morning. But I still need to print more. I'm on of "those" people who sends a Christmas letter, but only to friends and family we see rarely. I actually enjoy reading other people's Christmas letters and hearing their news. It's faster than a phone call.

I've done no baking, but the girls and I went to the grocery yesterday to buy what we needed. This year, we're going to try our hand at these really cute Christmas tree meringues, featured on Duh-licious. Also on the list are peanut butter fudge, buckeye bars, Tuscan shortbread (with rosemary and pine nuts), and chewy ginger cookies. We'll see what actually transpires. My plans tend to exceed my reality.

We've turned to Christmas books for our family readings, as well. For our scriptural study, we've read and discussed both Matthew's and Luke's writings on the birth of Jesus and his presentation at the temple. We've also consulted Isaiah to read Old Testament prophecies about Jesus. Just a smattering of other books we've enjoyed at Christmas are: Terry Kay's To Whom the Angel Spoke (this is especially wonderful); Henry van Dyke's The Story of the Other Wise Man; Charles Tazewell's sweet (albeit scripturally unsound -- humans do not transform into angels after they die) The Littlest Angel; and Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol.

So, time marches on. Christmas will come whether I've made my shortbread or not. But as I look at our busy-ness and the busy-ness of friends and neighbors around me, I feel a deep need to simplify, to settle in, to be quiet at home, and to truly contemplate the miracle of Emmanuel. God with us.