"I'm going to finish my homework before break," Saoirse decides importantly. "Because winter break is supposed to be for relaxing and having fun, not for doing homework." She folds her coat in half neatly and sets it on the bench beside her, and sets her beret atop it, because hats aren't allowed at the table. That's something Granny always made sure she and Ben knew.

She adjusts her skirt over her lap and lays a napkin over it, to be extra safe.

"We need to bake cookies for Santa, don't forget," she adds. "And, maybe we can make egg-nog, too. I know traditionally Santa drinks milk with his cookies, but I think he'd like something different from a family that's different. Right?"