The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Our table just before Christmas dinner, with a glimpse at the new paint job.

I love the winter holidays. I really do. I’m blessed with a loving family and a community of terrific friends. At the same time, though, the last part of the year, leading up to Winter Solstice and Christmas is always super-freaking-busy for me.

This year, that was even more true than usual. Along with all the holiday preparations, I was finishing up my new book (a month or so later than I’d originally hoped), planni...