A near-perfect Christmas day

I hope your Christmas Day was as wonderful as ours. We spent the first hour or so waiting for stragglers to awaken so we could open the mammoth pile of gifts under the tree—seventeen people make for a lot of presents.

dinner rols ready to bake

Christmas isn't Christmas without cheeseball

But the best part of the day was yet to come. Most of us spent it in the kitchen cooking together. Christian did a turkey in the air fryer; Dylan spatchcocked a smaller turkey, seasoned it with herbs, and did it in the oven. Megan made her classic apple pies, and Lisa her green bean casserole and the northern-style bread stuffing I love. Christian helped me with my mother’s roll recipe—it takes three risings, rolling out by hand, a lot of work and it makes a lot of mess.Melanie made a coconut meringue pie and washed a ton of dishes, including four cookie sheets.

We stumbled over each other in the kitchen and drank wine or some kind of drink made with Prosecco. We tasted and tested and commented. Gravy was a communal effort, the dripp8ngs from Christian’s turkey plus some prepared bought from HEB and seasoning decided upon by all. Christmas music played—all the old favorites from what sounded to me like Bing himself. Snacks were put out—the traditional cheeseball, a jalapeno dip, sausage and cheese, and children wandered in and out, wondering when dinner would be ready and what could they snack on and could thy please have a real Bellini. The answers were soon and chasse and no to the Bellini.

our bountifulbuffet

Dinner was great—the turkey moist, the gravy rich and plentiful, the potatoes smooth and creamy. An updated green bean casserole, a broccoli-rice casserole, truffle mac and cheese. And that ubiquitous cranberry sauce from can. Apple pie, coconut meringue pie, wine cake—who could ask for more. And an all-hands effort to clear the table, ended with Jamie doing what he likes to do alone—cleaning the kitchen.

Now it feels like midnight, though it’s barely past eight, and there’s a rousing card game going on, with most kids involved. Others are sitting by the fire, and a few ventured out into the evening cool.

Yep, it’s as near perfect as any Christmas I’ve known in my long years. Whatever your faith and preference, I hope the holiday message of love and hope sings as clear and loud at your house as it does at mine.