Darlings, Traditiion Is Continuity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, let me tell you, yesterday was such an exciting day, and a spiritual one too!!!! It was my annual December Floating Holiday, where I say "Bye Bye" to work for the day, haul myself over to the Upper East Side--whixch is where I should have been raised, darlings!!!--and over to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art to behold their
Italian Christmas tree and Creche, complete with angels and simulated candled lights.

This is the most GORGEOUS tree in the City!!!! Placed in front of the latticework in the Medieval Room, with stage lights, and Christmas music piping in, visiting g this tree every year is like visiting a shrine!!!!! The aritsty and craftsmanship of the Angels are SO Victorian; I love it!!!! The circular Creche--all around the tree, girls!!!!-- is so detailed, right down to falling water, made out of crinkled paper!!!! The placement of the cherubs, the Wise Men on their animals, including an elephant, the Baby Jesus.... I am telling you, lambs, this TRULY a spiritual experience. Every year--for at least over 20--I have stood for a solid hour beneath this tree, tears streaming, feeling like Jennifer Jones beholding the Vision at Lourdes in "The Song Of Bernadette!" That is right, darlings, you better believe it!!!!

And every year I think about what has gone by, because this is another one of those rituals that signals for me the passing of another year. I thank God for getting me through the year, and for what I received during it--in this case the priceless gift of Monsieur Davide, who, though he had no Floating Holiday, was with me in spirit. In fact, girls, I was just wondering--each year when I walk from the subway to the Museum, there is the most enchanting French restaurant/bistro I pass which I have always wanted to try, called Demarchier. Think I can talk Monsieur into a visit, and then to the Tree????? Wish me luck, darlings!!!!!!

Of course, I also took time beneath this tree to pray for Tyler Clementi and his family. Oh, Tyler, if only you had stuck around to behold the kind of beauty like this in the world, which cancels out all the scum there is!!!!! Who knows, perhaps Tyler was watching at that very moment. We can only hope in the future for peace, and no more Tyleresque tragedies!!!!!!

But beholding the Tree once more is a marvel!!!! And then The Roches Christmas Album this morning!!!!! I am telling you, girls, just wait till you hear mine!!!!!!!!

Hang those stocking by the chimney with care, loves!!!! But not fishnets!!!!!!!!!