Well, here it is Christmas morning and I have an uninvited migraine. My left eye decided it doesn’t want to participate in this holiday’s festivities. My left brain propelled foggy me to the medicine cabinet to retrieve two magical ibuprofen that should be kicking in any time now.
Thank goodness for software that checks for spelling and grammar mistakes. I’ve already made a few! If you find any more that the software didn’t catch, let me know.
We’ll make a game of it! “Who can find the most mistakes generated by “Uninvited Migraine.”
I don’t usually name my migraines, but this one bloody well deserves it. It’s postponing my attempt at a cool recipe shared by a dear friend of mine. It’s an adapted mac and cheese crockpot recipe originally created by Martha Stewart. I’ve been waiting weeks to try this.
But…
As with many things, I will adapt to the situation. After all, there are only three of us for Christmas dinner today and only one of us (me) will eat it. I’ll make it later.
Or tomorrow.
Why am I not upset about the migraine? Or the delayed amazing mac and cheese?
Because last night was one of the coolest Christmas Eves I’ve ever had!
For the first time (in forever – and now I have a song stuck in my head) in a long while, we had most of our kids and their spouses and one grandchild in the house. Our tradition on Christmas Eve is takeout Chinese Food. The food was running late due to a clerical error, but we went out in the freezing cold and were warmed by tea while we waited.
We seriously love the folks at Kim Lai in Portsmouth. We love the food, too, but it’s the people that bring us back year after year.
And every Monday, but that’s a story for another day.
We left four of our adult children home while we fetched the pupu platters and piles of lo mein and fried rice. We left them with a plateful of freshly made gingerbread Wookies and 5 tubes of colored frosting.
We came home to laughter and hugs and help to put the food out. One of the kids brought a Spanish wine we’d never had and shared it. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever had Spanish wine. It was very good!
As we ate, two more kids and our grandson came in. He’s 6 going on 30 some days, but at that moment he just wanted to play trains with his Grampy. It was very sweet and fun to watch while I finished my crab rangoon and lo mein.
Partway through this second round of dinner (since the first folks were pretty much done eating by the time the last three came in), I remembered I’d bought lightsaber chopsticks! It was then, amidst all the lightsaber chopstick shenanigans that ensued, that I realized I themed our Christmas Eve.
I may have started a Star Wars Chinese Food Christmas Eve tradition.
You won’t hear any complaints from the Llama!
From there we had stockings to open and presents handed to individuals by our very own Elf (our grandson). No one asked him to, he just stepped right in, read each tag, politely asked the giver if he could give that gift to the recipient, and then handed it over with a smile. Many gifts were given before one came up with his name on it, and the first thing he asked:
Who is this from?
It wasn’t “Can I open it.” He didn’t tear into it. He asked with eyes alight with anticipation and restraint I’ve never seen on a child with a present in their hands.
Did I mention he’s six? (going on 30)
I’ll not keep you here much longer. Just know that the headache (and a few other Long Covid things) kicked in due to an evening filled with love, laughter, onesie pajamas, Santa hats, lightsaber chopsticks, grandchild snuggles, and so much more.
And so worth the need for ibuprofen and rest this morning!
The mac and cheese will wait. I am a happy Llama.
Merry Christmas today if you are one who celebrates this holiday and a happy quiet peaceful day if you do not.
May the Force Be with You,
Llama
One Crafty Llama 
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