New traditions...

I suppose I should dub this the Christmas of New Traditions for me, since it's the first time in... uh... maybe ever... that I haven't spent the holiday with anyone in my family. However, some of my new traditions may be crashing and burning, as my main partner in Christmas Orphandom (yes, I've just decided that's a word) is very sick, and might have to bow out of some -- or even all -- of our plans. So I could very well be more orphaned than I'd expected. Particularly on Christmas Eve, which was a bigger deal in my family for many years than Christmas Day itself.

Oh well. I'll live, though I'm sure there will be a few moments of sadness (which I'll try to cure with endless viewings of A Christmas Story). (Thank you, TNT!) But I can also bask in the glow of finally having seen the Mark Morris Dance Group's The Hard Nut. I didn't realize until recently that this was actually set to the music from The Nutcracker. Omigod, is it brilliant. Not only is it really funny, there's some spectacular dancing (and staging) in it.

I'm not sure I'll be able to take a Nutcracker seriously again after this, but I think I'll be seeing it again in the years to come. Orphaned or not.