Christmas Eve baking.

I spent most of my day making and baking stuff, puppy chow, bourbon balls, bread and lastly, but in no way least, mince pies.  Now I'm ready to consume some.  Making mince pies is one of my favourite Christmassy things to do, although it's always a bit of a puzzle getting the right size for the pie-tops and -bottoms.   This year, I found that a stemless wine glass was the perfect diameter for the bottoms (very innovative, me).
I love Christmas Eve; the excitement and anticipation, the lights and sounds, the traditions and memories.  A very happy Christmas Eve to all!

Christmas Eve, 2016.

I have been baking all day.  It's been lots of fun, very Christmassy.  And the house smells great. What would Christmas be without mince pies? I don't know, because I have never had a Christmas without them - thanks to my grandmother, my mother, my sister, my brother and, now, me.  Life is good.
I'm sitting here right now, with a glass of Mumm Napa Brut Rosé, watching Father Christmas (yes, my colonial cousins, Santa) wing his way around the globe on the Norad Santa Tracker. Der Weihnactsmann, (my thoughts are with the people of Berlin), is currently on his way to Ikeq Island, Greenland: free to spread his particular variety of Christmas joyfulness. Life's really good.
Happy Christmas Eve, folks!

Christmas Eve, 2015.

I spent the entire day baking and preparing food; two different types of bread; two batches of mince pies (thanks to Thud for the new mince pie tin); and a massive amount of 'Puppy Chow' (aka Chex Muddy Buddies).
I had so much fun as I mixed and stirred, whilst listening to, and singing along with, my favourite Christmas carols ('Once in Royal David's City' being my all time fave).
A happy Christmas Eve to everyone.

Nativity in the vineyard.

Not much to say really.  This photograph says it all; nativity scene, a Napa vineyard, Christmas Eve.
Thank you to a neighbour for their effort in ensuring that Christmas-walkies are very special for me and Vinodog 2.
Happy Christmas Eve to all!

Eat, drink and be very merry!

Lots of bubbles (including a Prosecco), loads of cheese and charcuterie, a sherry for Vinomaker and some fancy biscuits for the Vinodogs.  Christmas eve is very merry in Vinoland!  Santa (Father Christmas) is in Nicaragua right now (according to NORAD) and he's already delivered more than five and a half billion pressies - makes me tired just thinking about that.  I'm off to bed.  Happy Christmas eve everybody!

Happy Christmas Eve.

A little bit of home.  The smell of baking mince pies today transported me back to the Yuletides of my childhood.  Classic, home-cooked Christmas goodness, helped along by James Robertson's mincemeat - the last jar in my local supermarket.  I could have been in my mother's kitchen.

Wishing the simple joys of Christmas to you all.

Christmas Eve in Napa.

How else would you decorate the downtown Napa Christmas tree, other than with purple baubles clustered to look like bunches of grapes?
A festive Christmas Eve to you all.