Are you ready for Christmas?

Does anyone find that that question only adds to the stresses of the Season?

I really don’t know what the question means, but I’m guessing I’m being asked if I’ve bought all my gifts, wrapped them, written and sent cards and letters.

But my Christmas is international and I prepare my Christmas cards to send to Scotland months in advance.

Christmas cards from Scotland start arriving at Halloween. This is because the older folk believe that all mail going abroad is sent by sea. It’s really sweet. But now all mail is sent by air and there are no special sea rates.

I believe I’ve sent all my international cards and am processing the inland ones. But the postage rate was increased by 2 cents this year and I’ve got lots of the old rate stamps. I can’t bear to queue in the Post Office for 2 cents stamps. My local branch does not provide seating. (Note to self: Contact the Post Office about seating.)

I’ve sent for 2 cents stamps. They probably won’t arrive till the New Year. So that’s my excuse, but apart from that, I’m ready for Christmas all year round.

Thanksgiving and Other Celebrations

I try very hard to not get caught up in the Holiday whirlwind.

I could mark each celebration individually: Thanksgiving, St. Andrew’s Day (November 30th), Christmas, Hogmanay (New Year in Scotland,) and Robert Burns’ Birthday (January 25th).  That’s just too exhausting, so this year, I’m doubling up the celebrations and combining Thanksgiving with St. Andrew’s Day. We’re going to dine on haggis and neeps and tatties (mashed rutabagas and potatoes). That’s typical Scottish fare served at a St Andrew’s Day dinner, and also on Burns’ Birthday. I’ll have to get another haggis in January.

We order the haggis from the Scottish Meat Pie Company in Dixon, a farming community, which is very close to Sacramento and drive up there to collect it.

The Thanksgiving haggis is a sturdy wee thing and survived last year’s kitchen renovation. I had to play bagpipe music (on a cd) at it, to entice it to come out from the depths of the freezer.

For dessert we have a rhubarb pie from Walker’s Pie Shop, an Albany institution.

This will all be paired with our favourite champagne, Marie Stuart.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, Happy St Andrews Day! Slainthe Bha! Good Health!