In early December, my wife and I visited our nation’s capital to see a Smooth Jazz Christmas concert. The musical selections were predominately northern European, British and American in origin. This was the beginning of our celebration of the (probably) fall birth of a Middle Eastern Deity.

We gathered for dinner at Old Ebbitt’s Grill - a local favorite that’s been around since 1856 - with some friends we’d met over the years online and at other concerts. We walked past the White House – still abuzz from the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting - to the stately Constitution Hall. The main attraction of the evening was a Jewish man whose family is from Canada. The other performers were mostly of African descent.

We spent the next day on The Mall enjoying Indian, Asian and Native American art. That evening we hopped on the Metro and ate curry for dinner. The following day we went back across the river to see our son and daughter-in-law participate in a historical reenactment in 18th century colonial garb. The fife and drum corps playing nearby had to contend with a surprisingly sober marching bagpipe band. We then had pizza for dinner and drove our Japanese car home.

Randall Ware