Best wishes to everyone celebrating Christmas. We are enjoying the holiday with our four children and, of course, Luna. It is not a white Christmas here in Virginia this year, given the lack of snow this season. However, we made do. We all watched A White Christmas next to the tree picked out by our local cadre of Bears fans. Leslie made her signature Old-Fashioned cocktails as we listened to Crosby, Kaye, Clooney, and Vera-Ellen bring in the holiday in the 1954 classic.
Last night, I made our traditional Cioppino soup — a tradition started by my late father, Jack Turley. It is a spicy mix of mussels, shrimp, sea bass, clams, crab meat, and other ingredients. I have previously written how I grew up hating the soup, but the tradition fell to me when my father became ill. I am now as addicted to the soup as my father was. When I make the soup each year, it continues an indelible connection to my Dad and best friend.
Even though our kids are all grown, Santa still came this morning and Luna remained as quiet as an elf with his arrival. (Likely because her own stocking was stuffed for a good dog)
We have had our mishaps at the holidays, particularly in driving to Chicago and facing a series of unfortunate events. However, since we are celebrating at home in Virginia, it proved, thankfully, less eventful this year.
With the passing of my mother, Angela, earlier this year, it is a holiday mixed with a sense of profound loss. This was her favorite holiday. We decorated our tree with the birds that Mom would put on her own tree in Chicago. Even with missing her and thinking about her, there is also the gratitude of being surrounded by those you love. This holiday reminds you of how blessed you truly are to have your friends and family with you.
Tonight, we will be making our traditional Christmas meal. I will be doing the beef, gravy, Yorkshire pudding, and freshly ground horseradish sauce. I use my Dad’s English cookbook with his scribblings in the margins and carve on the same carving board that we used for over 60 years. We also have a great Bûche de Noël (or yule log cake) and other delights for dessert.
The Turley family wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday. I will be toasting our blog family tonight and giving thanks for the wonderful community we have created here.
So “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Best wishes,
Jonathan Turley
Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Happy New Year.
Merry Christmas and thank you!
Jonathan:
Thanks for your Christmas blessings and the brief insight into your personal life.
Best wishes to you.
Love you and our success is before us.
Alfred
Merry Christmas Jonathan, and to your loving family!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad!
The first thing I do in the morning is to look at my email to read your post. Thank you for all you do, your wit and humanity shine through.
Merry Christmas
Wishing all a Merry Christmas and the peace, joy, and hope that are found in Jesus!
Connecting with Christmases past is one our great family traditions. It sustains a force of family rarely discussed. We can’t all live in the brave new world.
Professor Turley my wife and I look forward to reading your posts everyday. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Be kind and open-minded while grading your exams, remember that causation is often in the eyes of the beholder!
Merry Christmas to all. It is the Mass of Christ, the meaning of the day, the reason for the season!
I remember one year, I went out around midnight on Christmas Eve, and laid in the manger of our town Nativity scene some nuggets of frankincense and myrrh, along with a tiny bottle of real gold flakes suspended in water.
Should have waited for the same time January 5th, I know. But it felt lovely, anyway.
Merry Christmas to All
Professor Turley,
Merry Christmas to you and your family! Like you, we celebrate Christmas with a variety of traditions that make the holiday richer for all, and take the time to reflect on our collective blessings, including the receipt of your musings throughout the year. One of my favorite dishes is Cioppino; perhaps you can share your father’s recipe in the future.
“The Turley family wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday.”
And to you and yours (including DS).
Thank you for creating the opportunity to comment on important issues of the day.
Merry Christmas to the Turley clan and everyone else here. Luna is a beautiful dog. We lost our own beloved 12 yo Double Doodle (Goldendoodle – Labradoodle cross) in early November, and we are missing him very much at Christmastime.
Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year
Nadolig Llawen
So “whig” as in “Whig Wales?”
Merry Christmas🙏🏻🎄
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and yours