Lots of Christmases Barbara and I wind up at either my sister Pat's place with a batch of nieces and nephews and spouses and kids and in-laws. Or we wind up at one of Barbara's cousins, where the personnel is essentially the same on that side of the family. Sometimes, like this year, we're having a fairly quiet Christmas at home. Barbara and I know several people who don't have family in the area and are on their own during the holidays, so we're having some of them here. The agenda includes traditional activities such as conversation, music, eating, exchanging a few simple presents, and laying around burping and scratching.

Don Firth