Family Christmas in the Bay Area

Family Christmas this year in San Francisco, and it started at the apartment in the city — both girls in red for the occasion, the little one carrying her bottle around all afternoon, presents already stacked against the tree. At some point the girls went up on shoulders in front of the tree and everybody grinned at once, which never happens, so that was the afternoon's win. The small one was asleep against her teddy bear well before the evening ended.

Then the fireplace house for the night. Cookies and milk went out on the wooden chair next to the nativity set — frosted trees and stars, and a couple of dreidel cookies on the plate too, which covers everyone.

Morning was nightgowns and wrapping paper. The big haul included a dump truck, which was unwrapped with great seriousness, and a batch of things mailed in a Priority Mail box that got as much attention as anything inside it. Fire going the whole time, knitted stockings down off the mantel and emptied on the floor.