As of Thursday of New Year's our house still is not through the Christmas holidays.

There still are a majority of the presents unopened under our tree, as they are waiting for our son and daughter-in-law to arrive from Baltimore for their Christmas visit. This year they spent Christmas with her family on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and elected to come to Aurora late for the big celebration and wrapping paper destruction.

As it happens, The Clan Dugan is assembling in Aurora also, Saturday, Jan. 5, for the really big celebration with the senior Dugan overseeing the whole party. It takes a great deal of planning and logistics to get 30 or so people together, when half or more of them have full time jobs. In addition, that does not include all of them, as distant members are on the West Coast or in South Jersey.

We try to honor the original spirit and meaning of Christmas, in spite of the commercialism of the season. The event was always a high point in our formative years, and although it is in proper perspective now, it still brings out the best in everyone. Egos are left at the door, and the brittle, edgy attitude that always comes with family interactions, is put on the back burner for the occasion. Weddings and funerals do not bring out as good or as full an emotional high as does Christmas, and that happens every year.

And after the holiday is truly over, down the slope of gray skies, snow and freezing cold that is Cayuga County weather we go.

Immediately after filing the first version of this story, I received a call from Lilly McCormack, inviting us to her family's traditional celebration of the 12 days of Christmas. McCormacks and friends gather every night at the piano for 12 nights and sing the old songs of joy of the season. What a wonderful lift to the spirits, in light of the oncoming January winter clouds and snows.

Not too many geese on Cayuga, near Aurora, this year. And there must still be plenty of grazing for our local deer herd, as they have not tracked down through our side yard as yet. Deer netting around newly planted evergreen species should prevent some of the denuding that has occurred in previous years. Also, have to report that our bird feeder has not been visited for at least a month. Maybe we have to put out roast beef instead of suet.

Am looking forward to one or two juicy items for this column in 2008. Stay tuned.

William Dugan is former supervisor for the town of Ledyard.