x-mas at our house: part 1

Josie and Amelia are on the couch, side by side, legs straight out so Amelia's feet hang just over the edge and Josie's stop about a foot short. They're snuggled close in, Josie leaning into Amelia, Amelia's right arm over Josie's shoulder, around her chest.

Both girls lean forward, Amelia's hair hanging soft brown over her cheeks. They've the got the holiday book. For me, another piece of junk mail. For them rapture. It's 99 percent Christmas and a page or two of Chunukah. Amelia holds it in front of them.

Josie's eyes go to big round blue, same shape her little mouth makes. "Amma, look at the baby in the nest."

The page shows every reason I celebrate that this is not my holiday. Fifteen-foot inflatable nativity scene. Baby Jesus on the blow up hay.

Amelia straightens her back, head up so the hair falls back to her shoulders. Slow turns her head to Josie with the look of a teacher, tight faced and trying hard to stay patient.

"Josie," she says. She says it slow and serious the way you talk to someone who obviously will not understand. "That's Baby Jesus and his Christ family. And that is his Jesus Christ nest."

"Aaaaa ma" Josie says. She laughs and slips out of Amelia's hold. "It's just a baby nest."