Memphis, Tennessee

Christmas

Cooper-Young

When there is an eight-year-old in the house, Christmas morning begins early. There are presents to open and explore. Soon Max fills the air with sounds from a steel drum.

It's not just Max who is excited. Dianne reacts with surprise to her Kindle electronic reader.

Every boy needs a go at a skateboard.

Daughter Sherianne and son-in-law Casey arrive to join in the exchange of presents.

Max, left, daughter Shannon, center, and son-in-law Brian,right, amidst the carnage of Christmas. Wrapping paper threatens to fill the room.

We are not sure what to call this, but it is a breakfast tradition: a fresh-baked pastry filled with cheese and fruit preserves.

After breakfast Sherianne, left, Shannon, middle, and Dianne, right, work on another Christmas tradition, a 1,000-piece puzzle, while ...

... in another room another what I am sure begins another tradition. It has been a Wii Christmas with Wii Fit, Wii Games and Wii Sports.

Dianne, center, passes some of her crafts along to her daughters. Shannon, left, learns crochet while Sherianne, right, knitting.

Dinner is  ravioli we make ourselves. Shannon, right, shows Dianne how to fashion the filled pasta.

Brian, right, makes the dough into long strips which we fill with crab and ricatta cheese — or just cheese — fold and press into the traditional shape.

The ravioli ... ready to be boiled.

Chi-Chi surveys the result wondering if some morsel might fall to her.

The day ends with a steel drum recital. Children are so full of promise. Max loves music, art, reading and sports. One wonders what he will grow into.

Photographs taken with a Leica M8