Christmas in September

This is the story of Ragia's first Christmas celebration as Mrs. Jake Lester and, indeed, at all.

In the year 2000, mom was in Egypt for work, and she had brought Sarah with her. While she was there, Ragia and I got married, and both Mom and Sarah attended our wedding, but that is another story.

For the duration of mom's project, mom and Sarah stayed at the Flamenco Hotel in Zamalek, which was always her favorite hotel. When we asked them to stay with us for a few days after the project was over, mom readily accepted, and Sarah and mom came to stay with us for a few days--perhaps as much as a week. While staying with us, mom and Sarah waxed sentimental about the fact that Ragia, Farah and I would not be able to join them for Christmas that year. So they decided that we would have a special one-time-only early Christmas celebration.

To this end, mom and Sarah went shopping for food and gifts, and they returned to create a feast. Mom made a special lamb pot pie with a flaky crust that both Ragia and I can still almost taste, so sublime was it. After we ate, mom brought out her famous cookies, and then she and Sarah presented us with fantastic gifts that were, as usual, ones that only mom would think to give. Sarah, always the artist, performed her gift-wrapping wizardry on them, making them larger than life and twice as beautiful. Mom gave me a beautiful brass stained glass lantern, Farah got a fancy bead bracelet, and Ragia was given a gorgeous handwoven Indian tie-died scarf. Unapologetic sentimental idiots all, there was not a dry eye in the house.

This was, no doubt, the most memorable Christmas Ragia, Farah and I ever celebrated, or ever will, despite the fact that there was no tree, no Christmas music, and that the date was in mid-September!

Merry Christmas, mom. Merry Christmas, Sarah. Merry Christmas, everybody.