Sometimes Christmas is a real disappointment. It can fall flat for a lot of reasons: too much family drama, an empty chair at the table, or simply too much to do.
But our minds nurture a Hallmark-esque picture that is about as real as a greeting card and their sappy, formulaic movie portrayals. Life usually falls short, because it is real, not a fantasy.
My holiday season has been too darn busy to enjoy much.
One exception. Patty and I had a Christmas date. We do it every year. We go to a fancy restaurant, one of the places we reserve for special occasions. This year, we just didn’t have that kind of time, so we went to our go-to place, about five minutes away.
It can be best described as cozy bar and eatery meets supper club quality food. We have come to know the employees and the owner (also the cook) has become a delightful friend who comes out of the kitchen to chat and give us a hug.
The whole experience evokes athe delightful satisfaction of a delicious meal combined with that “Cheers” feeling where everyone knows your name. It’s comforting, fulfilling, and fun, and it was shared with Patty, which makes it even better.
