Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Christmas Past

Driving to work today I realized it's almost Christmas! I began to think of the things I have yet to do before the big day and how busy we all are this time of year. I thought back to a quiet Christmas in 1989 when we lived in the Yupik Village of Aniak, Alaska. While I enjoy big family get togethers and seeing the relatives one only sees on holidays and at funerals, our quiet Christmas in Aniak was very special. It was just the two of us and at the time I may have felt a little left out not spending the day with others but it turned out to be very special.

We started the day with a quiche cooking in the oven while we opened presents. We made long-distance calls to wish our friends and family a Merry Christmas. Then we snuggled on the sofa and watched movies, snacked, and enjoyed the lights on the tree and the snowfall outside. That day was the most peaceful and intimate Christmas I've ever experienced. Later, we ended the day by cooking a seafood extravagnza of king crab, lobster tails, scallops, and shrimp.

This photo of me was taken on that very special Christmas day. And while I would prefer to spend Christmas with family and friends, I would not trade that day back in 1989 for ten "big" Christmases. I would like to include a photo of Jerry back then but, as the world's worst photographer, the photos I took of him weren't so hot :(

Vickie

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