Today I thought I’d share my Christmas glow with you.  My husband and I spent five days in a little place called Nuevo, CA.  There’s nothing there to speak of–maybe half a dozen family-owned businesses and an occasional tumble weed-blocked road.  The lack of McDonalds, Walmart, and traffic was refreshing, and the view of the rugged-rock mountains from the desert floor was spectacular.

Our hosts, Trino and Maria–our son’s future in-laws–recently moved onto five acres of quiet beauty.  Slowly they’re turning the land into a ranch, planning to build a barn for their three horses and add chickens and ducks and they’re-not-sure-what-else.  Their home is a barn-shaped house filled with warmth and love.

Christmas Eve and Day the house and yard were overflowing with family of all ages.  Food was plentiful and constant, all homemade, from traditional tamales to the Navajo daughter-in-law’s Navajo fry bread. (I’ve decided that Mexican moms and Jewish moms have one big thing in common: their unending cry of “Eat, eat, eat!”)

Gifts were thoughtful.  For example, one of their sons who is a Marine (four active-duty tours in recent years) exchanged stories with my ex-submarine-sailor (two tours, including Nam) husband, then gifted him with the ribbons my husband had earned but lost over the years, plus a Navy watch.  The talented fry-bread cook gave me–someone she’d never met–a stunning necklace, crafted in the Navajo style, which took her two days to make.

Needless to say, the two sets of people bonded into one family. Our son had already been totally accepted long before; now we’re part of a larger family, too.  This was a most excellent Christmas gift for me.  I hope yours was just as joyful.