Christmas Biscuits and Sausages

Winter is not my favorite time of the year. It's cold. My joints hurt, I want to curl up in a ball and sleep until spring. Yep, hibernation really appealed to me this morning. Obviously with those thoughts running in mind, I was in a fine frame of mind. It was Christmas Eve for heaven's sake. I was beginning to sound like Scrooge.

I knew the kids would be piling in today. I whipped up a batch of Christmas biscuits, fried sausage and arranged fruit on a tray, bagels and cream cheese. I sat down in my chair with my first cup of hot tea. Savoring the peace and tranquility I rocked in my chair and thought of Christmases in the past. Humorous things that happened as the kids were growing up. Now, it was grandchildren. Where did all those years go? They flew by in an instant.

A very loud bang on the door interrupted my reverie. I chuckled to myself as I answered the door, "Let the games begin." A flurry of coats, hats and mittens sped by to the kitchen. I embraced them all and my heart filled to see their smiling faces. It had only been a couple of weeks I last saw them but I was amazed to see how much they had grown. Mouths filled and voices quieted around the big table. I looked at each face in amazement. Little eyes, noses and mouths I could recognize of generations past. Tracy has his grandfather's cowlick. Alexia had my sister's eyes with the mysterious slant. She would be a beauty when she grew up. Little Troy had his dad's facial expressions. The quirky way he held his mouth and the eyebrow that shot up when curious about something.

"Round one, "I thought. The others will be arriving any minute. My oldest boy had called and he announced he wanted us to save him some biscuits. I told him he had better hurry, I could make no promises. He said that he never got any we always ate them up before he could get here. I told him he should get here earlier. We laughed at this conversation that was repeated every holiday. He rarely made it in time for biscuits.

I thought I would make him a holiday treat, as I knew it would be a couple more hours of driving for him and his family. I whipped up a double batch of biscuits and sausage. Good thing I did too as youngest daughter and family came a day earlier than planned to surprise to me. She brought two of her famous smoked turkeys and beef brisket. I kept a watch on the biscuit count. Her five kids and husband polished most of them off as I watched in amazement. I asked her if she had fed them the night before, she laughed and told me they were just showing off. I raised and eyebrow in doubt.

Three Christmas biscuits left. I made a double batch again of Christmas biscuits and sausage. Daughter had brought a huge pile of groceries to help with huge dinner that night and the next day. No way could I afford to feed them all. I received another phone call. My middle daughter rang to tell me she and family were pulling in the driveway and for someone to come out and help her unload the car. I was so happy that she was here in the daylight hours instead of arriving at midnight as the original plan. Her three kids raced into the already crowded house. They devoured most of the sausage and biscuits. I only had enough flour to make a small batch and no sausage left. I threatened lives to leave the biscuits alone.

By the time son had arrived there were four Christmas biscuits and two pieces of sausage left. He should have gotten here earlier.