Last night we attended Beymer Memorial United Methodist Church for the Christmas Eve Service. The church was full - not sure how many it holds but there had to be over 500 people there. We were told to arrive early and so we were there about 40 minutes before service time and there were quite a few people already there.
Our friends Dave and Janie from the RV park joined us. The music started half an hour before the service. And once again we heard the sounds of the Beymer Brass - (bell choir) - the choir, the praise band, the organ (large pipe) and an organ/clarinet duet. And at the end of the service was the candle lighting - so nice not to miss this part of Christmas. I had presided at Candle lighting services every year for over 19 years and attended for many years before that. Christmas traditions live on.
And it was the first Christmas Eve service I could actually sit beside Alf and enjoy it with him.
There were cookies and conversation with Dave and Janie afterwards (plus the children had a live nativity in the courtyard) It was a wonderful evening.
This morning Alf and I awoke fairly early to get the crock pot started for the Turkey Dinner pot luck at the clubhouse.
We checked out the contents Christmas socks that I whipped up yesterday. It seems the little box I packed with a few Christmas decorations didn't get packed in the fifth wheel before we left Ontario. 
Then we sat out on the deck and toasted the day with our morning coffee. It was a beautiful sunny morning and before long I had changed to capris and took off the vest.
On our way to dinner there was a father and daughter swimming in the pool - the pool was only 70 degrees (it had been cold the last few days so the solar heat didn't keep up) but they were Crazy Canucks up for a holiday at their grandparents so they thought it was just fine.
Dinner was at 1:00 pm and we rolled out of the clubhouse very full. We have just two servings left of the Balsamic Root Vegetable casserole we made. Will probably have that for supper tonight -
Just finished watching some firewords from our lanai that were being set off somewhere in Dundee. Fireworks at Christmas - that is a new one for us.
We skyped with our family - and wished them all a Merry Christmas. The younger ones (the twins Eli and Simon were much too busy playing with the toys to make much of an appearance and Willem and Jonah stayed just a bit longer. We got to see Angelica and Devin and their mom for a bit before Jenn's video cam went black - but they could see us - oh the joys of technology. Hopefully we will be able to connect with Alex and Parker before the next day or two have passed.
All and all it was a perfect day - no stress - no stressful hours at the mall shopping - (although Alf and I went to Walmart yesterday to get a few things for each others socks)
We sucumbed to an impulse buy and got ourselves a toucan Christmas decoration. When we get our Tiki Bar set up - he will have the place of honour.
Here he is in all his glory - pics taken with and without flash.
There were no rounds and rounds of holiday baking (think of the calories saved). But we might just blow them on the ice cream we will make with the ice cream maker we bought at a yard sale.
So
Twas the day of Christmas,
and all through our house
was the sounds of contentment,
and hopefully no mouse!
The food was delicious,
the company superb,
but the real meaning of Christmas
was the birth of a babe.
(doesn't rhyme but shares our sentiments)
Merry Christmas everyone!
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