12.22.2008

I Survived Xmas 2008 (t-shirts available)

We had xmas yesterday (Dec 21st)--it was a good day. I had all my local presents done and wrapped up the previous day, so there was no getting up early to finish up that last one thing, and we didn't have a big meal planned, or hard-set time to get things started. It was great.

In fact, I came to xmas with perhaps more "xmas" than I, or anyone else, thought I would. Also, I brought food, and introduced my niece to hot chocolate with marshmallow fluff and peppermint--she thought it was great fun to use a candy cane as a stirring stick. The drink always ends in sticky fingers and smiles, but that's usually only if you're trying to fish out the marshmallow dollop with the curved end of the cane . . . which we did. (It's more fun that way, honestly, but some other time I'll show her to leave a bit of wrapping on the end of the cane.)

We went to my sister's house late afternoon and watched football (skins vs eagles??) and chatted and played with the kids, and then we attacked the packages en masse. It wasn't the 10-min mayhem I remember from my childhood (concurrent with near-constant admonishments from the grand'rents to open one at a time in order and "Read the card out loud and save the paper/bow!"), or even a similar mayhem from more recent years. There were no fights or arguements, no schedule to adhere to or be scolded for slowing down (stockings before breakfast, don't eat that now!, breakfast at 8, presents at 9, quit messing with the nativity!, snacks at 11, clean up the living room!, lunch at 2, etc). It was the perfect pace and temper.

Next year I might just pull out that special cookie recipe and put up the tree afterall . . .

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