There's magic that happens on Christmas Eve... but not without preparations. Allllll that is being done in the days and nights leading up to it, is worth it. And I am scrubbing floors now at midnight before my evening dinner I'm hosting at 6 PM, taking a break to blog and relax a minute. And I s'ppose I'll collapse in bed shortly only to get up early and fret a bit.

I hope each of you feels the magic tonight with your family. Don't forget, each year on cable (I fergit which channel), the wondrous, Jean Shepard story, A Christmas Story, is repeated for 24 hours. No Christmas is Christmas without the beloved story of Ralphie, who wants a red rider BB gun.

Dinner is at my house tonight. There will be 16 of us. The menu includes:

• Chestnuts roasting on an open fire (OK, making modifications... cookie sheet/oven, no fire)
• Honey Baked Ham with rolls
• Deviled eggs
• Chips & Dips
• Port Wine Cheese & Sesame Seed breadsticks
• Caesar Salad
  
• Homemade stuffed shells
• curled pasta or fettucini pasta with choice of:
• meatballs/homemade spaghetti sauce
  
• Alfredo sauce (not homemade, I'm cheating--from a jar)
  
• Mild Italian Sausage with onions & peppers
• Cheesecake
• Homemade Christmas Cookies
  
• Chocolate covered cherries
• Carmel Turtles
  

For Drinks:

• Peppermint Coffee
• Hot Cocoa
• Eggnog
• Bailey's Irish Cream
  
• Merlot
• Pinot Grigio
• Yueling Beer
  
• Rum
• Whiskey
• Bourbon
• Vodka
• OJ
• Coke/Diet
• Sprite

Merry Christmas!!!