Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!  The holiday is almost finished here in Japan but for those of you near in our hearts but far away in distance you have just begun the fun.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

We packed Christmas Eve and Christmas with holiday cheer.  Christmas Eve my friends the Matsubayashi’s threw a holiday party for my elementary school students, Satomi and I.  We had the most incredible shrimp and pasta au gratin I have ever tasted along with Matsubayashi’s locally famous pizza.  We spent Christmas afternoon with my friend Colin and his family and had a meaty Christmas feast and pleasant conversation.

Now we are home and getting cozy in front of our kerosene stove.  Satomi made the house festive by hanging her christmas quilts and making the Christmas basket in the picture, above.  She threw in a few other of her homemade touches and and made the house a home for the holiday season.  We even had a few hours of snow on Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!