Merry Christmas from The Shore

It's Christmas Eve... can you believe it? As I waited for Red Beard to come home from work today, I snapped a few shots of what Christmas Eve looks like at the Shore this year. I'm tagging it to "Memory Lane" because I'm certain next year's Christmas Eve will look very different--especially with a little one around!

Oranges and clementines always scream "Christmas" to me. (This year, we were lucky enough to snag a pomegranate, too!) Red Beard loves Calvin & Hobbes, so this book always makes its way out of storage this time of year.

All the presents are under the tree. Well, except the present that Snoopy is guarding in the chair. I wrapped the last of Red Beard's presents this morning.

Our stockings are stuffed and hanging--from our coat closet door instead of the fireplace. We learned the hard way last year how much fun Kitty thought the stockings were when they dangled from the fireplace!

Speaking of Kitty, she is napping on an extra sheet of wrapping paper I cut for her as soon as I started wrapping gifts. It's my strategy for preventing her "help" while wrapping, and it usually works.

The pickled shrimp are marinating (recipe from Pat Conroy's Recipes of My Life). If you love shrimp and you've never had pickled shrimp, I cannot recommend this recipe enough!

Our Christmas morning bread ("Pulla") still proofing in a butter baking sheet. Baking it today so tomorrow morning is more relaxing!

And a Harry & David pear--part of a gift my parents received from someone. I'm certain this was an expensive pear, but it is honestly the best pear I've ever had!

A view from the couch. I may have had George C. Scott's Christmas Carol playing while making bread and wrapping gifts. :)

I hope everyone has a safe and jolly Christmas this year, celebrating the birth of the Child who would die to save us from our sins.

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."

-2 Corinthians 9:15