Mona Lisa, the Sprite and I, in an item from a subset of the family Christmas traditions, went to see the Nutcracker last night at Shea’s. It was wonderful! The theater was gorgeous, the music was thrilling and the dancing was breathtaking. This was a Russian troupe, supplemented by local talent. There were a few things that we puzzled over—like why there was a six foot sheep in glasses dancing along during the Dance of the Reed Flutes—but those distractions were few. Added to the experience was the sheer joy of seeing people elegantly dressed out at the theater in Buffalo on a Thursday night.

Exhaustion is kicking in. I just realized that I came to work today dressed entirely in green. I mean entirely. I didn’t know I owned green stockings until I was getting my first cup of coffee and happened to look down at my legs. While I would like to think that my outfit is evocative of Gundrun, reality tells me that it is closer to something from Nutwood. I guess the ears don't help.

When I was small there were things that were definitely a standard part of my holiday experience. The Styrofoam snowman that concealed my mother’s engagement ring, certain ornaments, the rituals of baking Christmas cookies, Nat King Cole roasting chestnuts on an open fire. These were the things that I think of in vivid detail to this day. I wonder what things will make up my children’s memories years from now. It might have been the strings of chili lights but we now, like the “old” Russian Tea Room, keep them up year round. We used to bake huge amounts of holiday cookies but stopped after they started hanging around until Halloween. I guess I see traditions as having at least an element of fluidity to them. Unfortunately, one of my new holiday traditions seems to be an insane amount of work. Like jingle bells and mistletoe, inevitably, I have a client with a major [read: hugely time consuming] problem that rears its head, Grinch-like, right before Christmas. At least this year I won’t be preparing for a January 2nd trial. Hey, I think I “get” it! Why all of the specials are on the same “we must save Christmas” theme! Huh. Who knew that a moment of epiphany would come during endless slogging through a document production. Not exactly the Christmas magic I had expected but hey, I’ll take it.

Last night we caught the end of Olive, The Other Reindeer and here I am asking myself the same question that bugs me every year. Just why exactly is it that every Christmas special is built on the premise that Christmas needs saving? That there is something nefarious afoot that is bound and determined to keep Christmas from coming? OK, ok, I know that one hour can seem endless without some sort of dramatic tension but sheesh it’s been two thousand years so you’d think that they could come up with at least one alternate concept. Bah Humbug!

This morning the Sprite handed me her letter to Santa to mail from my office. She debated over the address-should she send it to the North Pole or to Laughing Valley? It also seems as though she has had a few questions on her mind and thought she would try for some answers. She quite reasonably wants to know if he really drinks Coke. My follow up to that is who does his contract work? Hmmm. I’ve been good…