“Aunt Gabby”, whispered my eight year old niece into my ear while decorating the Christmas tree, “are we Christian?”

“Well, it depends how you define Christian”, I responded. “We tend to be more spiritual than Christian.”

“But we’re definitely not Jewish, right?” she questioned quizzically, her right eyebrow slowly rising in curiosity.

“Again, I would say that our family is more spiritual, rather than Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Buddhist, since we tend to focus on one another, rather than on a particular set of religious rules or norms,” I responded.

“But only Christians celebrate Christmas. So we must be Christians.”

Taking a moment to consider how to respond, I took a deep breath and said, “Ironically, many people of all nationalities, races and religions celebrate Christmas simply because we love an excuse to gather together and share one another’s company. It’s one of the few times of the year when friends and family come from around the world to exchange stories, cook large comforting meals and spent time by a big beautiful tree with twinkling lights. Christmas, from my point of view, is a magical time for all of us to stop and give thanks for what’s most important…”

“Wine!” she blurted out with a brilliant smile on her face, “we give thanks for wine.”

Granted, she didn’t specify Spanish or Portuguese wine, but we trust she was secretly inferring it. So to her sage advice, we wish all of you a wonderful and heartwarming Christmas filled with ample amounts of great wine, wonderful food and loving company. We will be taking a week off to enjoy the north shore of Minnesota, where we’ll be prancing through 21 inch snow drifts, taking horse drawn sleigh rides, and cozying up to a roaring fire with large mugs of mulled wine.

Saludos,

Gabriella and Ryan

More Holiday Pictures…check back often they will update as we explore the holidays!