The Quilt Inn Country Cookbook

Aliske Webb

But we had a tree. Our first tree. It had only one set of lights, a few ornaments

and I made popcorn “snow” for the branches. But on Christmas Eve, we lit the fire and

put our sleeping bag and blankets on the floor beneath the tree and slept on the floor

that night. We kept the fire going all night and the tree lights on. We lay there watching

the shadows flicker around the bare walls and wondered how we would ever fill up the

big empty house. Four years later, the house was so full we started having “yard sales”

to eliminate the obsessive clutter!

In the morning we drank eggnog for breakfast and opened our presents.

Michael gave me a bird feeder and some Classical music tapes to replace the ones

I had lost. I gave him warm gloves and underwear. He’s the romantic, obviously!

We’ve slept on the floor in front of a fireplace every Christmas Eve since then.

Even the year we were 9½ months pregnant and had just hosted a Christmas Eve

dinner party. The guests went home, the furniture was pushed back and down went the

quilts...and the three cats...and the dog...and us, Michael, me, and what was to become

our son, Geoffrey.

Christmas Eve is also when I decide what to add to my Christmas quilt. I have

a quilt that will take me twenty-five years to complete. It has twenty-five Christmas

wreaths on it and in the center of each wreath I embroider something that represents

a significant event for the year. The first was the year we married, so naturally our

wedding rings are entwined with the date. I’ve also added decals and embellishments

that are mementos of meaningful events, like teddy bears and baby blocks on the

wreath for the year Geoffie was born.

Christmas Eve is the time when we talk over the past year, and remember. It’s

when we look forward to the coming year and a shiny new future.

Quilt Inn Country Style Stuffing

cups onions, chopped

cups celery, chopped

apple or pear

clove garlic, minced

/4 cup butter

Published by Bookmice.com

Country Cooking