Christmas with Grams

“All the stockings were hung by the chimney with care…” ✨🎄🎅🏼 My grandmother just read me our 1949 version of ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas. 🙏🏾 The two of us are snuggled up, smiling, crying, remembering, dreaming, together, as it always has been and always will be — in a decorated, cozy holiday home that is eagerly awaiting an even more wonderful gathering of our beloved family tomorrow.

PS Prior to reading our traditional Little Golden Book, we scrolled through Cardi B’s Instagram feed mainly to compare her manicures with ours… because my grams is insanely amazing and we’re alive at a wild time and side by side on Christmas Eve and this life is a beautiful gift. “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Christmas cookies. 🎄 Grandma nibbling. 👵🏽 Family singing carols. 🎶 This year, our beloved holiday traditions and Aunt Pam’s cookie masterpieces were made *even* better, if I may say so myself, with the addition of a few extra special gluten-free vegan sugar and gingerbread cookies that I found at a bakery and hand-carried 3000 miles to our Christmas dessert table. Ah, the sweet taste of success for me and my one vegan cousin!

I adore time with my family. I cherish being home at my grandmother’s. I embrace traditions old and new. I celebrate the beauty in lively Christmas spirit. And oh do I ever thank the heavens for our countless blessings.