Wassail

No, its not a synonym for "whassup", it actually means "A festive occasion on which toasts are drunk; the ale or wine in which such toasts are made." I know I've been telling you all I can't get into Christmas and haven't done many of the traditions this year, but for some reason it was my idea to attend perhaps the most extravagant Christmas pageant/banquet on the West Coast, the Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park.

































Its well worth the short read to find out the long and interesting history of the Dinner. Its only been in the last couple of years that you can even get tickets without winning a lottery. I have a friend who has been twice and she spoke so highly of it we decided to make the trip this year. The dinner itself is very expensive (let's put it this way, the 17-person Bay Area Blogapalooza luncheon cost about the same as it will for just the two of us to attend), so that's another reason we are forgoing most of the other Christmas stuff -- i.e. presents -- this year. We aren't staying at the Ahwahnee, that was way out of the price range, but we are staying here, which is close-by and was given rave reviews by my boss. I'm hoping that the combination of the snow, the old English traditions and spending three quality days alone with D. will salve my weary soul. We leave early Thursday morning and return late Christmas Eve. I suspect Christmas Day will find us holed up at home with the pups. In any case, this will be my last entry for a bit. Everyone have a safe and happy holiday.