12/27/10

Christmas Gilbowinmankitmorefarsembletoothris Style

Some people don't like big extended family Christmases.  They like to wake up late and sedately open presents by the fireside with their spouses/S.O.'s and kids, and laze about all day simply enjoying each others' company and the peace of the day.

We had plenty of those sorts of Christmases when I was young, because we lived quite distant from both my parents' families.  And they were exciting and thrilling and delightful and everything Christmas is supposed to be, despite the fact that there were only 5 of us.  Because 5 was all we needed.

But now, there are 5 of us. Plus Evan. Plus Dane.  Plus my in-laws, my 3 sisters-in-laws, 1 brother-in-law, 1 niece, 1 nephew and various involved significant others.  Which means that Christmas now involves all of those people.

And I was lucky enough to have all of them together this year, my whole very closely-knit family, blood-relation notwithstanding.  Three generations, with enough side branches to satisfy a proper Biblical family tree.

I got 5 days off for Christmas, and my family all managed to be together despite varying work schedules.  We all went to Midnight Mass together (and incidentally, my siblings, 1 sister-in-law, and I did the music...stressful and yet strangely exhilarating, as always).  Christmas morning, we opened presents separately with my in-laws, then with my family, and then everyone gathered at my in-laws for Christmas dinner.

It was noisy.  It was chaotic.  It was a huge mess.  There was yelling.  There was (a little bit of) crying.  There were a billion dishes to wash and put away.  It was more impossible than you could possibly imagine.

It was magical.  It was lovely.

It was Christmas.

Merry Christmas, peeps.  I am so very blessed.

12/10/10

Let's Get This in Writing

There are some people in our neighborhood who go all out with their outdoor Christmas decorations. I mean, competition-light-up-the-sky-cause-global-warming all out. So of course we drive by their house multiple times a week.

Which is kind of creepy, because inevitably the Pater Familia is standing at the screen door, waving to the almost incessant stream of car-gawkers driving by. I guess he just loves watching other people that much...

They have a big "Toys for Tots" collection bin in their driveway and a large T for T sign at the neighborhood entrance directing people to see their house, so I have good evidence to assume that they're rather heavily involved with said organization.

Regardless, the first time I saw their house lit up thus, we drove back and forth a couple of times so I could fully appreciate it (my husband and son having been aware of its glories already). As we left, I said (semi-jokingly) to my husband: "When we're old and have nothing else to spend our money on, I want to do that."

My son piped up from the backseat: "Don't worry about that, because when I'm grown up, I'll owe you some money, so I'll give it to you and you can use it for that."

I'm glad he's fully aware of his filial obligations.
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