It is 3:00 a.m. on Christmas Eve morning. My house is quiet except for the slow rumble of the furnace as it pushes warmth into all the corners of my house. In the winter my furnace is the heartbeat of my house...when I wake at night, I am comforted by it's presence.

My house glitters. I have no Christmas tree this year...just lights strung and hung on every possible window and surface. Aaron and Karen bought me a string of prisms and pearls that is strung on my front window. On this early morning it glitters with a peak of moonlight. They gave me the gift on the Solstice, I was thrilled. I had spent the Solstice evening with my book club. We discussed A Raisin in the Sun. We compared it to To Kill a Mockingbird and the Color of Water, both wonderful classics. We met at a restaurant and sat by the warmth of the fire. Our faces glowed with the firelight and the conversation as well as the pouring of the wine.

After dinner we went out into the snow and shared a Solstice ritual. I had brought sparklers for everyone and we recited my Solstice chant...in the dark..in the snow...surrounded by stars....and the guy taking out the garbage!
"Root to root, seed to seed, may all that we have, be all that we need."

Other nights of the week were spent with friends in the same restaurant at the same table by the same firelight. Only this time we shared remembered stories and photos of grandchildren and knitting secrets. Oh, how times change.

School ended with a flourish as we completed a month long project of The Polar Express by Chris VanAlsburg. We wrote about trains, read about train...my theatre classes did improv on train stations and sound effects. On Thursday we turned the gym into a train complete with depot and hobo camp and running lights. All the children attended in their pajamas and were served hot cocoa as they boarded The Polar Express. At the end of the day we all gathered for our community sing. I love this as I lead the singing and send them on their way...wishing them Merry Christmas...be well...be safe...Sigh, what a week.

Christmas 2005. Adam and Tonya are just returning from a Disney cruise and will spend the day with her Mother in Clearwater, Florida. Abe and Kristin in Portland will spent the day with her parents as well. Abe has decided to decorate his tree as we did when they were little...candles and cornhusk dolls...although the search for an original corn husk doll was unsuccessful this winter. Perhaps next fall when the Autumn corn turns brown, I will make one for
them. My Mom and Dad will be with my younger brothers and sisters in Texas. My
brother, Scott, is home from Afghanistan for a week. I know he is treasuring every moment. My sister, Jo, will be with all of her family. Aaron and Karen will celebrate in their house with baby Jonah. I will be taking Matthew with me to Raleigh, North Carolina in just an hour. We have a six a.m. flight.
His grandparents from Atlanta will pick up him.

Philip will pick me up and we will drive straight through to the island where I will spend Christmas with him and his family and friends. It will be my first Christmas on Ocracoke and Philip's first Christmas in his wonderful old, restored house.

On this early morning, in the holy darkness, I think of all of you in your homes....with your stockings hung or your Menorahs lit...or your Solstice candle on the kitchen table. Whatever it is you celebrate, do it well...share it with those you love.

I'll not be sending a passage next week, but I will keep up my blog site each day from Philip's so you will know what it is like to celebrate on his
beloved island. www.louannhoman.com click on Daily Journal

As I close to gather my woolen cape, turn the heat down low...turn off each light and lock the door, I wish you again, my Solstice blessing....

"Root to root, seed to seed, may all that have, be all that you need."

Love and wishes for a wonderful season,
Lou Ann