"Christmas is a time of sharing and I just want to say that
I feel I shared this Christmas with the most wonderful people that I know.
It really meant a great deal to me, and to Amanda and to Matthew to have
you all come out here. I know it'll mean a great deal to Rachel, too, to
know that her family was all together on this day of all days."
Mac's Christmas speech, 1980
"You know, we're so lucky,
I mean we're so blessed just to be here in this lovely
room surrounded by good and loving friends. Somehow that made me
think of all the ones that weren't that lucky. The lonely ones in
silent lonely rooms, those for whom this day may have been a day of pain,
not of happiness. I should like us to propose our toast to them. So, if
they can somehow hear me now. If the glow from this tree, if the love
that's coming from each one of you can reach beyond these walls to those
we know, to those we may never know, if we can share somehow the great
happiness we feel on this Christmas eve with them, then perhaps their
loneliness may not be quite so lonely. Perhaps they do know: in spirit
we are with them. [Looking to the viewer]
We are with you, every one. Merry Christmas!"
Mac's Christmas toast, 1982
"I have no words to express how I feel when I look around
this room. So I'll simply say how grateful I am that we share together
this most holy of nights. To all dear friends. To love of family.
[Looking to the viewer] All families, around the world. Rachel and I
wish you all a blessed and a merry Christmas!"
Mac's Christmas toast, 1984
"To you, Rachel. To us. To everyone who has happiness.
[Looking to the viewer] To you, who seek happiness. May you find
it. May you have it. Forever."
Mac's Christmas toast, 1985
"[Looking to the viewer] To all those who are far
away at Christmas, you're always at home in our hearts."
Mac's Christmas toast, 1986
"Dear friends, dear family. Well, how fortunate we are just
to be able to say those words. How fortunate we are that the past year has
brought us the most precious gift of all: the gift of life itself. And we
could live it as we choose in this land that is our land. How fortunate we are
that the coming year will give to each of us innumerable choices. May we
all choose wisely. May we choose the right. And may we live our choices
joyfully. To the future!"
Mac's Thanksgiving toast, 1987
"Well, everybody... It's been a hard year to get through for many of us.
Yet, here we all are, for Thanksgiving. And together. I'm very happy Iris is
with us after all those years. And as I look at Jamie, Matthew, Amanda, Sam,
and then Alexandra, I am grateful for the awareness of the sheer munificence
of life as it keeps on rolling on despite our little problems. Sharing our
lives with our friends and our family is far stronger than anything that
world out there can do to us. Today especially, though indeed every day,
Rachel and I our truly blessed. Our riches are at this table with us today.
[Looking to the viewer] As indeed you are in our hearts every day. And so I give you, all of us,
I give you life!"
Mac's Thanksgiving toast, 1988
"Well, here we all are once again. And here I am, trying
to stand in for Mac. Pretty hard act to follow ...
Where would I be without all of you? I feel very blessed. I love you all.
To our unique American family."
Rachel's Thanksgiving toast, 1989