Good Monday morning, happy new week, and Merry Christmas – belated – to those of you who were celebrating over the weekend! I hope your holidays were filled with light and joy. We were up north for most of the week, spending Christmas with my parents, brother and sister-in-law. Dan and Danielle flew from Colorado for Christmas at my parents’ place, and we drove up from Virginia to make sure we were there at the same time as they were. It was a hectic round (y’all, let me tell you that transporting Christmas over several states, twice – up and back – is an EFFORT) but worth it for the chance to see family. I worked Monday and Tuesday, but took the rest of the week off – mostly; there was one work call on Wednesday – and got in lots of time outdoors, breathing the crisp air. We saw Steve’s Aunt Susan for a lovely walk around Saratoga, then spent a few minutes shouting greetings to my Aunt Maria from her driveway, and our dear family friends (who are like second parents to me) came over on the 23rd for an evening of appetizers and catching up – but other than that, we didn’t see anyone outside of immediate family members. Given the COVID numbers, I called off our cherished holiday lights and dinner tradition with our dear friend Seth, and contented myself with a holiday text exchange with my high school BFF, Jenn – sad, but better safe than sorry. There was plenty of outdoor time, at least – walking, running, sending Nugget screaming downhill on my old toboggan, and a hike in the Pine Bush Preserve – one of my favorite Albany spots – with Dan and Danielle. And we were able to keep it magical from the kids, and I think they had a wonderful Christmas – which is the main thing, after all. And now I’m ON VACATION, with a week stretching ahead and absolutely nothing to do – glorious – other than get my COVID booster shot on Tuesday, finally. Here’s to ending the year with some breathing space, much-needed.

Reading. It was a good reading week – Christmas week always is, as I get in the last Christmas reading by the twinkling lights of the tree! At the beginning of the week, before driving north, I got in the spirit with Carol Ann Duffy’s sweet poem Dorothy Wordsworth’s Christmas Birthday. Most of the rest of the week was given over to The Country Child, which I finally finished (it was lyrical and beautiful, but nowhere near as tight and compelling as Alison Uttley’s other well-known novel, A Traveller in Time). I did take breaks for two of my bookish Christmas traditions – The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Correspondence, a hilarious spoof created by John Julius Norwich, on Christmas Eve; and A Country Doctor’s Commonplace Book, on Christmas Day. I always read those, and on those days. And when I finally wrapped The Country Child, I turned to one of my new Christmas presents from Steve (check back on Wednesday for the entire book haul, and spoiler, it’s GIGANTIC) – The Carols of Christmas, a survey of the true history behind popular Christmas carols. Squeezing in one more bit of holiday cheer before the tree comes down and I turn to the new year and all things wintry.

Watching. It was a kid-centric Christmas, and you could tell because (are you sitting down?) we did not watch “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” AT ALL. We did, however, watch “Home Alone” three times. And the rest of the week – my mom and I found the “Downton Abbey” movie on TV, always a delight, and we pounded two episodes of “Gardeners World” when we got home on Sunday.

Listening. Some Christmas carols early in the week – and lots via my parents’ Alexa at our family party and Christmas Eve. That’s about it. This week, I’m waffling between going back to the mystery novel I was listening to on Audible or trying out a new nature podcast I downloaded.

Making. Spirits bright? I did try. I’m sure I fell woefully short, but I did try. I made some Christmas cookies with the kids, at my dad’s request (Dan and Danielle made some as well – it was a family effort) and I made many, many, many wrapped gifts. And many, many, MANY deep breaths.

Moving. It was a decent week for movement, all holiday things considered. A hike with my brother and sister-in-law was definitely the highlight, but I also squeezed in a few runs, including a 5K on Christmas Day. And there were plenty of neighborhood walks, because there always are.

Blogging. Can’t let a holiday season go by without showing you my Christmas book stack, so I’ll do that on Wednesday! And on Friday, ringing out 2021 with my tradition – a month-by-month look at the old year.

Loving. All right, don’t judge, but ever since I read The Christmas Chronicles a week or so ago, I have had a fancy for Bailey’s Irish Cream. (Nigel Slater makes a throwaway remark about drinking it iced in a little glass, and that had never occurred to me before and I just had to try it.) I told Steve that the next time he went to the liquor store, I’d love a small bottle, and he delivered on Sunday. I had half a juice glass with Bailey’s on ice, and it was delicious. I’m not a big drinker and I can’t remember the last time I had Bailey’s (it was probably a splash in my coffee ten years ago) but it absolutely hit the spot on Sunday evening, after a long week of digging deep for merriment and magic, followed by a very early car ride. So, so good.

Asking. What are you reading this week?