Christmas with Friends

I grew up in a small town and still live there today. Oh, I have traveled and lived in different places, even as far away as Morocco many years ago, but my heart was always ready to come home. There is something to say about small town living....your family and friends are here. New people come and go, but there is a core group that you have known forever. They are the ones that you grew up with. They share your history, your laughter, your sorrows, and your secrets. (Thank goodness your know theirs, too!) Each year this group of friends gather together for a Christmas Breakfast. Most of us still live here all the time, and others travel home to attend. The group varies in size from year to year, and if you can't attend you send in pictures and words that you want others to share for you. Our breakfast was last Saturday. Twenty-six of us celebrated another year in our lives. We told of births, and death, and all the wonderful and not so wonderful things that the last year had brought to us. There was laughter and tears, and hope for the coming year.


When we get together it is like a soap opera. Twenty-six southern ladies with twenty-six tales to tell....and, there are some crazy things told. The winner this year told us that she was engaged to her ex husband, I think they have been divorced for about twenty years, but they have always remained friends. The wedding is planned for June....Awww...a June Bride for the second time. She is not one of the three above, that's me and my best friends from childhood. The one one the far right said we needed to get a good close up of her so that when she died we would have the picture to look at so we could get her makeup just right. God forbid she not look like the queen, (that's her grandma name, "Queenie" )when she's gone. You should have been around when she was trying to teach her granddaughter to say Queenie. It was say. cu, cu, cu, queeenie. I tried to get her to call her NeeNaw and if I offered her a "prize" she would call her that for awhile.

Breakfast was served buffet style and everything was wonderful. Breakfast casserole, sausage gravy and biscuits, grits casserole, fresh fruit, pastries, biscuits, homemade jam, coffee and mimosias. Now doesn't that sound like what they would have served at Tara? Sharon, the lady standing, was the hostess. Her lovely home was decorated from top to bottom and should have been on a tour of homes. China, silver, and crystal covered the tables...this was not a paper plate affair.

Though the dress was casual, the surroundings were elegant. The food was wonderful and love and laughter filled the room. In this fast paced world it is so good to come together and visit with old friends. For those of you who were not able to come this year, we all wish you a New Year filled with happiness and love. We will look forward to seeing you next December if not sooner.

One bragging Grandma...no, no, no..., not Grandma, she's going to be called "Honey" didn't bring pictures. She went across the street and brought back her best Christmas present this year. Isn't she beautiful. Just another little lady who will someday carry on the tradition of Christmas Breakfast with her friends.

Whoever you are and wherever you are...make contact with those you love this holiday season. Time slips away too fast. Share the memories, laughter and your love with your friends and family. Make new traditions and continue to honor the old. Don't have regrets for things you wished you would have done. Hoping you have a wonderful Christmas....go home for Christmas if you can, if not, travel there in your heart.