Merry Christmas - and Happy Solstice

So it's finally winter. Reports say our area has had 55 cm of snow already when last year we'd had less than 1 cm. *grumble grumble* All right, maybe it's treasonous for a Canadian to admit it, but I'm not a fan of snow. Except at Christmas time. I love snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But that's it. After that it can just go away.

I'm rather glad we've got snow this year, it'll help me keep in a more seasonally festive mood.

My shopping's done - all right - truthfully, it's never done with me. When the kids were little I'd start shopping in June using layaway and declare myself done in October. But I'd always find little things that I just had to buy. I'd still like to get a few more stocking stuffers - like today I picked up a book for Gizmo Guy - Sue Grafton's latest. (Don't worry, he doesn't read my blog. Besides he was with me when I bought it, so it's not like I'm ruining the surprise.) But I don't plan on hitting any more stores. We drove Guitar Hero to work last night (he works at a local mall) and even though it was 11 p.m. the parking lots were as full as a Saturday afternoon. I hate to think what they will look like tomorrow. I'm not going near 'em.

Now begins the baking - the standard Chocolate macaroons (see Wylie's page, she's got the exact same recipe that I use), and Cherry Jewel bars, and Pizza cookies (so named because you bake one huge cookie in a pizza pan and then cut it up in pizza-like slices), Nanaimo bars, shortbreads, home made chocolate fudge, home made peanut brittle, etc. etc. But usually I can get it all done in a day.

I'm looking forward to having a nice quiet Christmas - just GG and the boys, and probably Guitar Hero's girlfriend (yes, they're back together again after having split up for a couple of months.) I'm going to forget all the stress of the past two months (or at least try) and just enjoy myself.

I'll be around - sort of - so if I don't get to your blog, I'll catch up with you later. But in the meantime *raising a glass of coconut rum and ginger ale* here's wishing you a happy and stress-free Christmas.