That Special Christmas Magic

Christmas in Zimbabwe is good for us. It's a funny combination of home and traditions past and Southern Hemisphere Africa.

The kids and I were eager to get a tree up, but the evergreens were looking dreary the week I was ready, so we went with a tropical plant. Don't even know what it's called, but it grows straight out of the center of a green and yellow plant that looks like a giant alien, cactus octopus. We felt vaguely that it was more environmentally friendly.

The hoopla around Christmas in Zim is significant compared to other places we've lived, but it's just a drop in the bucket compared to what we'd experience back home. We were invited to an ugly xmas sweater party, and people were literally having to make something to wear: ornament jewelry, reindeer antlers out of tinfoil (David went as a kind of cross between Santa and Jesus with his Sudanese jalabiya and a red hat) because not only were we without unwanted items but it was hard to even find tacky Christmas things to buy. Imagine.

Sheryl and Vaughn invited us over to make Christmas cookies.

we sent the majority of the goodies to school with the kids

the adults had even more fun than the kids

We were playing Christmas music around the house, teaching the kids the songs and watching the old movies. But of course, it's all about cold, awful weather and snowmen, whereas in Zimbabwe the weather was great! We donated toys to the AIDS orphans and participated in other charitable events. We made Christmas cards for friends and family, and got together with people to enjoy great food and drink and happy times.

After seeing the movie Elf and knowing about the fakes, the kids were excited to see the REAL Santa at the grocery store. He came to hear from a few children whose emails he hadn't received since the internet's been down.

Most special was having family here: Tracy, Zavion, Jack and Anne. We were so lucky that Jack and Anne came here for two weeks and everything went so well! Their luggage (including Santa's sack) all made it. Their flights to Vic Falls weren't cancelled. No one got sick. There was plenty to do and plenty time to relax, as well. We were able to celebrate Jack's birthday, and we got to know Anne better, and she's a doll! (as my Grandmom Helen would say).

For his birthday, we framed photos of him with baby David ('73) and baby Miles ('05).

The children were VERY EXCITED Christmas morning. Whether it was a new pencil, a piece of candy, legos, a doll or a sketchpad - all were happy to tear off the paper and look at the new things. For the first time, the kids were old enough for there to be a semblance of order. The kids read the names on the gifts and handed them out, and we took turns opening them. (Just writing about it makes me want a cup of coffee.)

David's big gift from all of us: Zavion and Eliza's art framed for the office.

More photos from Christmas: