Welcome to another entry of Grateful Heart Monday, where my gratitude consistently gets expressed to start my week off on a positive note, which for today is for this year’s Christmas Day and all the joy I experienced during it.
Last year, I got to spend the majority of Christmas Day with my sister and her family and had a wonderful time with all of them. Unfortunately, they made the decision earlier this year to not have any extended family during 2019’s Christmas, which initially brought me great sadness, that is until my partner Chris suggested we host a Christmas Day feast at our home for us and a few friends. I really liked that idea and ultimately, when Christmas Day finally arrived, it was our friends Frank and Mike who were our holiday guests and family for the day.
First and foremost, I am truly grateful for how much Chris put into Christmas dinner. Between the several hours of work on Christmas Eve and all the hours Chris spent on Christmas morning and early Christmas afternoon, he ended up preparing an incredibly tasty spread that included both a fresh turkey and ham, and all the homemade accompaniments from scratch, including green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, red skin mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, cranberry relish, and gravy. I have to also give him credit for finding my favorite bread to accompany the meal, one that came from Cheesecake Factory (their wheat version).
Second, I’m just as much grateful for the desserts that our friends brought for Christmas dinner. Mike prepared a ricotta cheesecake from my favorite recipe I gave him, while Frank prepared a chocolate cherry pecan Bundt cake. Both were out of this world and some of the best desserts I’ve ever had during the holidays. Kudos to Mike for finding a way to make me laugh as always when he called me up before arriving on Christmas Day and telling me he had set the cheesecake outside over night to cool and the squirrels had gotten to it. I can’t believe I actually believed him at first! I’m so freaking gullible!
Next, gratitude came in the form of some heavy laughter after dinner when the four of us sat down to play a few new games I had bought, including “Hive Mind” and “What Do You Meme?” It was fun watching everyone burst out laughing, especially my friend Frank, who has gone through a lot in the past year or so of his life with a number of his family members having passed.
And lastly, my final piece of gratitude I want to mention came in the form of watching my favorite movie, “Serendipity”, at the end of the night. “Serendipity” is a film I always make it a point to watch every year at least once between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, it’s about two people meeting by chance, who are destined to be together by fate, but maybe not in the timing they want. Every time I watch this movie I find myself getting in a great mood, so it was a very fitting way to end the day’s festivities.
So yes, I have plenty of great memories to be thankful for on another Christmas Day that’s now come and gone. But, before I close, I want to also make mention that I’m grateful my partner got to spend some time with his family on Christmas evening before we watched the movie, for the few gifts I was given by him and my friends, and for all those who texted, commented on Facebook, or called me to wish me a Merry Christmas. As all in all, it was each of these things and that which I mentioned above that made for such a beautiful Christmas Day and for simply getting to spend the day with those I love.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
