Friends:

As I write this post it is already Christmas in Louisiana! On December 24, 2008, Christmas Eve, we spent the day preparing. We went to church and then to my mother’s house. My 18-year-old daughter, Soleil, gave me a gift that truly touched my heart. She spent hours making me a hand-sculpted and hand-painted Angel ornament (I collect angel ornaments for my Christmas tree). This “Angel de Lis” as I have named her, is exquisite. She is about the size of my hand and so light weight. She holds a heart and is in the shape of a fleur de lis, the symbol of New Orleans and Louisiana. Soleil completely designed and created her just for me. So Angel de Lis is one of a kind and looks so much like Soleil, with her golden hair and twinkling blue eyes! I will cherish the ornament forever and it will remain one of my very favorite angels! I was so touched by Soleil’s thoughtfulness and Christmas spirit that I cried. I love you, Soleil!

Eliana was so excited that Santa was coming. She made No Bake Reindeer Patty Cookies for Santa. Visit her blog for the recipe (http://www.elianacooks.com).

So on this gorgeous Christmas eve, I leave you with my favorite Christmas Poem by Clement C. Moore:

The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

In the hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there

Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap

Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap

When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter

Away to the window I flew like a flash

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

A miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer

With a little old driver so lively and quick

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name

On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Vixen

On Comet, on Cupid, on Donder, on Blitzen

To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall

Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky

So up to the housetop the coursers they flew

With a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof

As I drew in my head and was turning around

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back

And he looked like a peddler just opening his sack

His eyes how they twinkled, his dimples how merry

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow

He had a broad face and a round little belly

That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf

And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself

But a wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread

He spoke not a word but went straight to his work

Filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk

Then laying a finger aside of his nose

Giving a nod up the chimney he rose

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! Happy Holidays from Antonio, Dianne, Soleil, Eliana & the Cajun Cornbread Boy!

Until next time…

May your days be merry and bright!

Warmly, Dianne

Tags: Christmas, Dianne de Las Casas

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 25th, 2008 at 2:44 am and is filed under Christmas, Dianne de Las Casas, Family, Storytelling, The Cajun Cornbread Boy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.