The ghost of Christmas Present....

Welcome Christmas come this way
Fahoo fores dahoo dores
Welcome Christmas, Christmas day
Welcome, welcome fahoo ramus
Welcome, welcome dahoo damus
Christmas day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to clasp
Fahoo fores dahoo dores
Welcome Christmas bring your cheer
Fahoo fores dahoo dores
Welcome all Whos far and near
Welcome Christmas, fahoo ramus
Welcome Christmas, dahoo damus
Christmas day will always be
Just so long as we have we
Fahoo fores dahoo dores
Welcome Christmas bring your light
 Fahoo fores dahoo dores
 Welcome Christmas, Christmas day
Welcome Christmas, fahoo ramus
Welcome Christmas, dahoo damus
Welcome Christmas while we stand
Heart to heart and hand in hand
Fahoo fores dahoo dores
Welcome welcome Christmas Day...

Christmas.
It's a special time of year, it doesn't matter what your beliefs are, its something that transcends all spirituality and individualism. It also changes as you age. As a child, its all about excitement and gifts, the magic of Santa Claus. It grows and changes to time off of work, time with family and friends. Indulgence in sweets, alcohol and food. Then it changes again to seeing your children and grandchildren excited about the same things you were so many years before.

In A Christmas Carol, the ghost of Christmas present appears as a  jolly giant with dark brown curls. He wears a fur-lined green robe and on his head a holly wreath set with shining icicles. He carries a large torch, made to resemble a cornucopia, and appears accompanied by a great feast. He states that he has had "more than eighteen hundred" brothers (1,842 to be exact, the story being set on Christmas Eve 1843, the year of its publication). He also bares a scabbard with no sword in it, a representation of peace on Earth and good will toward men.
All in all he is happy. Happy in the joy of the moment. Living for the now, but mindful that our actions today have reprecussions in the future. He also only lives for the one Christmas, reminding us that our time on this earth is fleetingly short.

Christmas' have come and gone.  Some more memorable than others; I don't remember the year, but I remember the firemans helmet with flashing light and siren from my Aunt Barb and Uncle Paul. There was the year I got a firetruck and a yellow Big Bird. I remember the year I got the Millenium Falcon and a swag of Empire Strikes Back toys. I remember the year we had Henry family Christmas at my Aunt Mary's townhouse and my Grandparents gave me the Oxford Companion to English Literature, that was more than 20 years ago and I still cherish that book as a reference tool. I remember my first Christmas back home from university. The first year I spent Christmas on my own.

But all of them have paled since I started my own family.
I cherish the growth of them, how Liv and I spent a huge amount on a fake tree knowing it would last for ages. The way our decorations have increased. In Liv I found a kindred spirit, one who sought the magical Christmas of the movies like It's a wondeful life, A Christmas Carol or Christmas Vacation, warts, explosions and all. We would alternate who put the Santa on top of the tree each year. We would work everything out based on what hours we were working, but we always had some sort of celebration together at home. Some years we would be on our own, others we went down south to Liv's family. The other years we were always invited and welcomed to join her Queensland relatives.

When I was a kid, we would spend Christmas lunch at my Mum's parents and dinner at my Dad's. In later years Christmas would be done at our house or at one of my Aunt and Uncles place. It didn't matter where it was held, there was the same warmth, smells, cheer, conversation and congenial hospitality. Relatives that you only saw at Christams were caught up with, relatives that you saw regularly were avoided. Football was watched. People fell asleep on the lounge with drinks on their laps. Coffee and tea followed dinner, toys were shown off, music was played, traditional movies like Christmas Vacation, It's a wonderful life, merry christmas Charlie Brown were watched. It was always warm memories.

When Arwyn came and joined our little household, Christmas took on a whole new meaning. It was all about her. The first Christmas we went and put her in a stocking with an elf hat on. The second  Christmas we watched as she crawled and gummed the gifts more than actually ripping them open. The third we watched her as she was more excited about the boxes than any of the gifts themselves. On her fourth Christmas, it was all about ripping the gifts open as quickly as possible in an orgy of excitment.
This year, our little girl, spent time opening each, looking at the gift and expressing excitement and saying thankyou for each one. She was just as excited about having Christmas pancakes for breakfast as  she was about the gifts.
As the day progressed, we watched the little one play with her new toys, watched a movie together and had Christmas lunch. We had planned on having a roast duck, with wild rice pancakes, dried cherry and shallot confit, with arugula, endive, and watercress salad with roquefort and walnut salad. But, the past few days I just haven't had the energy. I'm a little disappointed that the 'tradtional' Christmas meal was over looked, but, the pasta meal I did up was just tasty and satisfying.
After the afternoon naps, we headed out on the long drive to the north side. Arwyn singing along to Christmas carols as they came on the stereo and asking questions as they pop in her head, like what colour do you get when you mix green and white.
We arrived at my surrogate family and the extended family.
I love the Taylors, one and all and everyone that is associated with them and their families as well. They are such a loving group of people, they accept everyone and make them feel as one of their own. In fact, you are one of their own. You are greeted with hugs, handshakes and warm greetings of genuine concern and hospitality. Christmas at the Taylors reminds me of the old days at the Henry households. The days when the kitchen was filled with the smells of roasting ham and turkey, sweet potatoes, gravy, carrots, eggnog and rum punch, and all the other goodies.
But I digress....
Back to the Taylors.
There was food, drink, laughter and conversation. It didn't matter how long it had been since you last saw someone, you are made to feel welcome, conversation just progressed naturally. It didn't matter what it was about, it was people showing genuine interest in what you were talking about and responding in kind. Eventually, the leftovers came out for dinner and we all settled down to watch Arwyn's Christmas Dance recital to her glee and the delight of everyone else.
There was the nap in a dim room in an astoundingly comfortable chair.
Everything was perfect.
Of course we also HAD to play cards.
No visit to the Taylors is complete without a game, or five, of cards. I think they are a shining example of a family playing together staying together.
Finally, the day had to end and we were seen off, with hugs, kisses and well wishes and the plans for seeing each other again soon.
I said it earlier, but I love the Taylor clan. Since coming to Australia they have made me feel like one of their own, they have filled that void of family that distance has seperated me from my own. I am proud to be a small part of their family and I am proud that they are part  of my family.

I want to take this oppurtunity to thank them one and all for making this the best Christmas ever.