Christmas Eve in San Francisco

It is Christmas Eve.  Last year I spent the holiday in Japan and this year with my cousin's family in San Francisco. Once again I get to relive the excitement of Christmas through the eyes of her two daughters who sweetly put out coffee for a tired Santa. Today we made gingerbread creations together and then went to a holiday part with the whole family.  Many families from their school were there and everyone enjoyed crab, roasted salmon, fondu, olives, cheeses, nuts, peppermint bark, and a large variety of afternoon drinks.  Andrew entertained by playing Christmas carols on the piano, and everyone sang along, trying to remember the gifts of the Twelve Days of Christmas.  We came home and later in the evening we played some games together and looked through my great-grandmother's recipe book and old books of groups songs and games from the 40's and 50's.  Some things about the way that we spend time together seem to have stays the same.  And others (linoleum parties) seem to have changed.  Luckily, gingerbread is always delicious.