2024 Life Logs, Day 359: Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah
Date: Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; Temp 26, Low 15 degrees F
Location: At Home at Marti Goldstone’s, Dover Road, Boothbay, ME
Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah! It is a rare occurrence for the first night of Chanukah and Christmas Day to fall on the same day, but it does happen often enough that the event has been given the name Christmukkah. When I looked it up online, I found the last time was in 2005 and before that in 1959, 1921, and 1910. Here in Maine, we had a full day of Christmas celebration and then lit the first candle of Chanukah at dinner.
The nine of us spent almost five hours opening Christmas presents today.
It is a Goldstone tradition for one person to open a gift and share before going on to the next, so it is a long process. We got a bit of a late start as we waited for Toby and Stephanie to come over from their house before delving into the stockings. We also took a break to listen to John Stegeman read The Night Before Christmas on the radio.
Heather did her PhD work in John’s lab at WHOI and Jed now works in that same lab. They have both known John since the late 1990’s. John is a lifelong scientist but has always wanted to read children’s stories on the radio. He got his wish this Christmas and we all agreed that he has just the right voice for it. Congratulations to John.
After we finished emptying the stockings, we stopped for a breakfast break of bacon and Heather’s traditional monkey bread and then went right back to present opening.
There was such an array of presents from soccer gear, to scarves and earrings, to beautiful pottery pieces. I got a lovely set of nesting pottery bowls, multiple sets of earrings, new comfy house slippers, an infinity scarf, a book, a set of pottery tapas plates made by Ollie’s Ninja group at the middle school, and much more.
The boys gave Heather and Jed a new vacuum and they got everything from a set of luggage for Sam, all sorts of soccer merch for Jonah, and Legos and a Dremel for Ollie. I got bathrobes for Sam and Ollie that they put on right away and wore all day.
From Santa, the Goldpebbles got a steering wheel, pedals, and mounting table for their Xbox and as soon as the last present was opened, they headed over to Toby’s house to try it. The living space here is small so Toby and Stephanie graciously said they could play next door. Besides, Toby wanted to play with them! Then there was another late afternoon walk that I skipped so I could talk with Kevin and Claire. Just as people were heading out the door, Kevin and Claire sent a text asking if I could talk. They were with Kevin’s mother in Los Angeles and will fly to Toronto next week to celebrate the 85th birthday of Claire’s mother before heading back to the boat in Mexico. It was great talking to them. While there was a quiet house, I talked with Justin, Jo, Coco, and Ziggy via Skype, Heather had also opted out of the walk to take a nap, but she was up by the time I was talking to the Puerto Rico gang and Jed was back from the walk, so they both joined in on that call.
Unfortunately, Coco had a fever and was not able to fully enjoy Christmas, but everyone else was in the Christmas spirit and enjoying all of their gifts. Then just before dinner, I also talked to my sister in North Carolina to wish her a Merry Christmas.
I will spend tomorrow here and go to see the Gardens Aglow at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens here in Boothbay tomorrow night before heading home on Friday. I think my car will be just as laden with gifts on the return as when I came.
