THE FIRST DAY OF THE TWELVE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Here we are, twelve days before Christmas, can you believe it? It feels as if there are only about twelve total days separating Thanksgiving and Christmas. You get the turkey leftovers packed away and it's time to make up a bowl of wassail! (As if I even make wassail!)

There are no cookies baked, and no gifts under the tree, though I've wrapped a bunch and mailed them away to faraway children who shared Thanksgiving with us, but who will be Christmas-ing elsewhere this year. Today I need to cr...