Merry Christmas Eve and NORAD Santa Tracker

Track Santa as he delivers his presents around the world on the NORAD Santa Tracker!

Good morning and happy Christmas Eve my friends. It is going to be a busy day today, we are headed to a the village for coffee, and a peak at the gingerbread house in The Carolina Inn. Then home to prep for dinner, make cinnamon rolls and last minute gift wrapping.

If you need a last minute addition to your breakfast or brunch try Barefoot Contessa Sour Cream Coffee, Cinnamon Rolls made with bread dough from the grocery store or Overnight Cinnamon Rolls.

Tonight it will be be just the two of us, we are having an Italian feast( Bill is Italian) and watching our favorite holiday movies. Then tomorrow mass at the Village Chapel as we celebrate the birth of Christ, gifts and breakfast at my brothers’ house, and then dinner and a day of fun with the family here at our house.

Merry Christmas Eve

If you celebrate Christmas I hope that you have a lovely day, and that you are surrounded by family and friends.

If you find yourself celebrating alone this year because of the weather, a travel snafu or some other reason, reach out to family or friends via Zoom, phone, text. Do something special for yourself, make an extra rich cup of cocoa, a special meal and enjoy your favorite holiday movie or book.

Remember to treat yourself as you would treat your friends and family if they were coming to celebrate.  I have spent many holidays away from family and it is hard but I always make the day special for me because I love Christmas!

If Christmas “looks” different this year because you have lost someone that you love, be gentle with yourself. I hope you find a small measure of comfort and joy in your memories.

Don’t forget to read Twas the Night Before Christmas, a Christmas tradition for many. I you don’t have a copy just print the poem from below.

A Visit From St. Nicholas

Clement C. Moore

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

NORAD

As for NORAD, they are celebrating 69 years of tracking Santa!

It began in 1955 when a local department store misprinted a telephone number to speak to Santa and track his progress on Christmas Eve. Instead the children were calling CONAD, the predecessor to NORAD( the North American Aerospace Defense Command).

Luckily Colonel Harry Shoup was in command because he ordered that each child who called be told the exact coordinates of Santa, and to this day the tradition continues.

Just in case you are curious, this service is paid for by corporate sponsors and all the phones are manned by volunteers.

You can follow this link to the website in case your children or grand-children want to follow Santa on his journey around the world starting this morning.

One Last Thing

Legend has it that if you sit under a pine tree on Christmas Eve you can hear the angels sing. I will be sitting under my tree this evening hoping to hear the angels sing. What will you be doing?

Whatever you have planned,  I hope that you enjoy the last hours of “the most wonderful time of the year.”

Merry Christmas my friends, my wish for you is joy in your heart, happiness in your home and good health all year long.

Happy Christmas Eve!

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