Christmas eve we were able to continue part of what had been a regular Holiday tradition.

Adventure Boy’s best friend, who had recently moved to Montreal, came over and spent Christmas Eve with us. 

For the past few years, we had an “exchange program” going with Adventure-Boy’s friend, who is Jewish.

AB would go and spend one night of Hanukah at his friend’s house, and his friend would come and spend Christmas Eve with us.  When the family moved away to Canada, we thought the days of the “exchange program” were gone forever (although I assured AB that Goyim are also allowed to buy Matzo.  There’s no law against it)

Obviously, AB was not able to travel to Montreal for Hanukah, but his friend was back in town over the holidays and was able to stay with us.  He got a Nerf gun, some chocolate-covered Oreos, and a Personal Care kit from Santa.  From us, he got Travelers of Catan and a hand-made quilt.

AB’s friend’s aunt came with to drop him off, and begged to come in a look at the tree.  She was thrilled with the tree, and asked many questions about the various hand-made ornaments, which we have made ourselves over the years, or brought back from our world travels.

She seemed particularly thrilled by the addition of Grasshopper’s “Bird nest collection”…a couple of the many nests that he has collected over the years, which we added to the tree.

We visited for a while, and when the mom and aunt left, I just sort of hovered around the periphery, listening to the sounds of my sons and their friend enjoying Christmas together once more…something I had thought I would never hear again.