BLOGMAS 2019 - Day Ten

Christmas Past, where to start?  I've had a lot of Christmases, Army brat and now Navy wife so many of them have been across the country and over the oceans.  I've had a German Christmas, a Norwegian Christmas, several Belgian Christmases, and many British Christmases.  I've had tropical Christmases and Christmases with snow, family Christmases, a couple's Christmas, Christmases with a little one, Christmases with Vic and without him when he was deployed, so many.  I really should put them in an album.  I am working on last year's December Daily which has the theme of 25 Christmases, one for every year since Sophia was born.  It's coming along slowly.

If I had to pick one Christmas past that was my favorite, it would be the one I know I've written about before, Christmas 2001 in Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales, England.  Mum and Dad rented a house, my sister and brother-in-law flew in from Oregon, and we flew from Chicago.  The house was warm, cozy, and festive, and Mum had brought along all our holiday favorites.  The sideboard was brimming with Cadbury's chocolate, mince pies, Christmas cake, all our favorites.  We were welcomed to the village by some carolers that looked like something straight out of a Dickens novel, and invited to Christmas Eve service at the village church.  We had a lovely Christmas Day celebration and enjoyed a constitutional after Christmas lunch in the beautiful countryside.  We went to the nearest town, toured the castle, and wandered through the streets.  We took a day trip to visit the James Herriot museum and came home to tea and crumpets.  It was the most fabulous trip and so wonderful to spend time as a family.  We played endless rounds of canasta and had dozens of "do you remember..." chats.  A magical time.

I made this Wordle of everything that I could think of from that Christmas.  I really need to have it printed on canvas.