Three Kings Day

This year we decided to open our gifts on Three Kings Day, January 6. That is the tradition here. We like this because it separates the commercialism from the day of Christ' birth. (Although we didn't witness a great deal commercialism here in Olinala.) Thanks to friends and family who sent some treats and a few "parcals" (as Martin wrote in his weekly letters to his parents while he was in boarding school in India) along with our visitors. We appreciate your thoughtfulness. We hung some Christmas decorations and the snowflakes our nephew Colin sent us last year. We also set up a nativity scene. Again, much smaller than everyone else'. The ones we saw included lots of colored lights and as many plastic animals as possible. Friends from Zacango gave us real moss to put around the manger, so at least that part we did "right." The other pictures are the boys enjoying the new toys (Lincoln logs, wooden marble-roller set, and magnetic construction set, and their special hand-made mittens. The mornings have been cool, so they wear them in the house for a bit.) Peace to each of you.