We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

To all who celebrate Christmas, religious or secular, the Gaggle of Girls hopes you have a wonderful Christmas Eve, and a Merry Christmas!

We are a secular family, so our “reason for the season” may well be different from others’. For us, we want to celebrate the love for family and good friends. Making our family members happy is what pushes us to celebrate. I feel very lucky that while my girls are really excited to receive presents, they are also very excited to give presents as well.

Yesterday we drove to central Connecticut for a day trip so that we could celebrate a mini-Christmas with my Nana M and Grandpa Bob as well as my Nana R. Nana R is 90, and recently moved into an assisted living home. She has a great little apartment – and she still served us tea, just like always! She was happy with the photos and other presents, but thrilled when I gave her sparkly Christmas socks.

Nana M is 85, and Grandpa Bob is 93, but they’re still managing at their own home. We had a wonderful lunch together (I need to get her recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole…), and had melt-in-your-mouth macaroons and meringues.

Both Nanas were very generous, and also very happy to see the girls. I have a feeling I could have wrapped them up some cardboard, as long as I brought the girls! My brother (now with a beard!) came too, and he brings laughter from the girls wherever he goes.

I hadn’t made the trip to Connecticut recently, because it’s 3 hours each way, and sitting in cars for that long tends to bring me pain. I’m hurting now, and was hurting yesterday, but it is better than it was before, at least. It was well worth it.

Tonight is my mother and step-father’s annual Christmas Eve party, and then tomorrow we go back and forth between our house and my parents’ houses in my hometown. (Rachel’s tip for holiday success – keep your divorced-and-remarried parents in the same town! Cut down on driving time!)

I’m only waiting for 1 box, and that’s out for delivery, so it looks like everything will be fine. Just a few more things to wrap, and I’ll be all set.

I hope the next couple days are filled with peace and joy for everyone, and that you call get some wonderful time with your families. Bring Joy wherever you go.