sleep now

[chelidon]

Tree is trimmed and lit (with Forest, as the youngest in the house -- at least until next year -- doing the honors of placing the star on the top), family and friends in the house are asleep or on their way there, Forest is long asleep with visions of sugarplums, or perhaps Legos, in his head, there's plenty of wood on the fire, the lovely dinner meal is digesting with the help of some good wine and after-dinner port, stockings have been, per tradition, hung on the mantle with care (and well-stuffed by house denizens and/or Santa), other gifties have been sneakily snuck downstairs and placed under the tree, the dog has been walked and is happily snoozing....so now it is finally time for me to grab a few much-needed Zs myself. Heck, if I stay up much longer, Santa might pass us by, and that wouldn't do at all, not at all.

I am particularly grateful that we moved to a somewhat more innocent place, where my 9-year-old boy, and most of his classmates, have not been jaded beyond their years, and still believe in Santa Claus. Because I still do, too.

A thrice-blessed Yule and a very merry Christmas, in the very best traditions of both, to you all. Good night and sweet dreams!