the Christmas that never showed up

Christmas felt skipped this year at our house.  The spirit never really found me, and I really did try to be found.  We managed to take a few pictures of Callan on Lille Julaften (aka little Christmas Eve, aka Christmas Eve Eve).  We propped him under the tree while he was snoozing with all of his first Christmas presents.  So sweet.

We did manage to keep one tradition in place this year.  Biscuits and chocolate gravy on Christmas Eve morning.  Not long after breakfast we started packing for our trek to NJ.  Our traditional Christmas Eve dinner got put on hold since we wouldn't be home.  I'm looking forward to preparing and enjoying this meal, not this weekend, but the one following.  I do need to cook that 9 lb. leg of lamb, after all.  Maybe we'll put the tree back up for that...or NOT.

Biscuits and chocolate gravy, while I could easily eat it on a daily basis, is saved for special days - holidays and birthdays (if requested).   It's definitely a breakfast to look forward to. 

Chocolate gravy recipe:

3/4 c sugar

3 Tbsp cocoa

3 Tbsp flour

pinch of salt

2 c milk

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

Sift dry ingredients together, mix in milk slowly.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and smooth.  Add butter and vanilla.  Serve over hot biscuits. 

So that was the extent of our Christmas celebration.  It definitely wasn't anything special.  We enjoyed it because it was Callan's first Christmas, but we're glad he won't be able to remember it.  What fun is spending the most looked forward to holiday of the year sleeping in a hotel and driving in a car for hours on end.  But guess what.  My Grandpa was worth skipping Christmas for.  And in all of this, we never forgot the reason for the season.