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Hectic Holidays
Dec. 27th, 2012 12:59 pmOur holidays, of course, started on Solstice. We actually had a lovely time on Friday. First we spent lunch with dear friends of ours, Richard and Frank, who are Mason's "Fairy Godfathers." Frank and Richard currently live in Atalanta, so we don't see them nearly as much as we'd like, so lunch was a great deal of fun catching up on all the news (while the waiter flirted OUTRAGEOUSLY with Richard, though I'm not sure he noticed...though he did feel compelled to point out that he and Frank had been together for 23 years, very loudly, in the waiter's presence, so maybe he DID.) At any rate, we got home and relaxed a bit before my folks came with their bundles of presents. We made our somewhat traditional wild rice soup and homemade French bread for diner and then we opened presents. I was pleased when Mason ran off and changed into to his 11th Division tee-shirt right away, especially given that a lot of the presents the folks brought rattled suspiciously like LEGOs.
After the folks headed back to the hotel (they don't stay with us because a] we have no guest room and b] my dad is allergic to our FOUR cats,) we lit the Yule log and drank eggnog. Then we took a votive candle lit from the Yule Log to keep in our bedroom to keep the flame burning all night. I have friends who actually, in the past, have had the actual bonfire that they keep going all night, but I have to admit to being a lazy, urban Pagan and doing things this way. I tell myself that as long as the fire goes all night, that's sort of the spirit of the thing, so there you go.
Then we went swimming at the hotel pool on Saturday morning, which we adored because the place was completely empty. We were the only ones in the pool the entire time. Usually, when we come in the evening (my parents stay in the same place every time they come up), usually we have to stop playing "piggy in the middle" because another family joins us... sometimes several families. This time, the only frustration Mason had was that we old folks insisted on occasional breaks to use the jacuzzi.
It seemed like the next time we turned around it was Christmas eve, but I do remember a day in there where I ran around like a crazy person trying to fufil Shawn's request of socks for her birthday. Luckily, Irish on Grand had just what I was looking for--plus I picked up some British digestive cookies for her to snack on while she watches her shows (currently we're working through Foyle's War, along with our continuing obsession with EastEnders and Downton Abbey, of course.)
Christmas eve was nice. I got up at six am to start the diner rolls, however, but then, once the turkey was in the oven, I pretty much relaxed until it was time to get the rest of the fixings in order. Uncle Keven dropped in and was good company (sometimes a mixed-bag with uncle Keven) and we generally had a lovely meal and good times. Crackers were cracked after the meal (we read each other the groaner jokes while wearing the silly paper crowns in fine Morehouse tradition), and then the wrapping paper was shredded and presents revealed. The best gift I think I got, besides the homemade Solstace gift from Shawn--a hand painted tea mug, was the .mp3 player. The irony here is that's exactly what I asked for, and got, for my birthday. Only... I lost it. In less than a month. Sometime between November 18 and December 25, I lost my.mp3 player. Shawn got one at a VERY GOOD PRICE, so, should it happen again, I won't feel nearly as guilty. Now I just have to find some time to load it up.
Our Christmas morning tradition involves stockings and the few extra presents that Santa brings. Then we spent the next several days playing with what we got. Mason has already put together nearly ALL the LEGO sets he got, which, when you think about it, is kind of amazing. He's currently working through the books that the 50 dollar gift certificate his Uncle Keven gave him to Barnes & Noble bought him. Those will probably be finished later today.
Shawn went back to work today and will likely go tomorrow. Since today became B&N reading extravaganza day, tomorrow will be a Bleach-a-thon punctuated by a trip to Hmongtown Market to satisfy my craving for red bean paste.
After the folks headed back to the hotel (they don't stay with us because a] we have no guest room and b] my dad is allergic to our FOUR cats,) we lit the Yule log and drank eggnog. Then we took a votive candle lit from the Yule Log to keep in our bedroom to keep the flame burning all night. I have friends who actually, in the past, have had the actual bonfire that they keep going all night, but I have to admit to being a lazy, urban Pagan and doing things this way. I tell myself that as long as the fire goes all night, that's sort of the spirit of the thing, so there you go.
Then we went swimming at the hotel pool on Saturday morning, which we adored because the place was completely empty. We were the only ones in the pool the entire time. Usually, when we come in the evening (my parents stay in the same place every time they come up), usually we have to stop playing "piggy in the middle" because another family joins us... sometimes several families. This time, the only frustration Mason had was that we old folks insisted on occasional breaks to use the jacuzzi.
It seemed like the next time we turned around it was Christmas eve, but I do remember a day in there where I ran around like a crazy person trying to fufil Shawn's request of socks for her birthday. Luckily, Irish on Grand had just what I was looking for--plus I picked up some British digestive cookies for her to snack on while she watches her shows (currently we're working through Foyle's War, along with our continuing obsession with EastEnders and Downton Abbey, of course.)
Christmas eve was nice. I got up at six am to start the diner rolls, however, but then, once the turkey was in the oven, I pretty much relaxed until it was time to get the rest of the fixings in order. Uncle Keven dropped in and was good company (sometimes a mixed-bag with uncle Keven) and we generally had a lovely meal and good times. Crackers were cracked after the meal (we read each other the groaner jokes while wearing the silly paper crowns in fine Morehouse tradition), and then the wrapping paper was shredded and presents revealed. The best gift I think I got, besides the homemade Solstace gift from Shawn--a hand painted tea mug, was the .mp3 player. The irony here is that's exactly what I asked for, and got, for my birthday. Only... I lost it. In less than a month. Sometime between November 18 and December 25, I lost my.mp3 player. Shawn got one at a VERY GOOD PRICE, so, should it happen again, I won't feel nearly as guilty. Now I just have to find some time to load it up.
Our Christmas morning tradition involves stockings and the few extra presents that Santa brings. Then we spent the next several days playing with what we got. Mason has already put together nearly ALL the LEGO sets he got, which, when you think about it, is kind of amazing. He's currently working through the books that the 50 dollar gift certificate his Uncle Keven gave him to Barnes & Noble bought him. Those will probably be finished later today.
Shawn went back to work today and will likely go tomorrow. Since today became B&N reading extravaganza day, tomorrow will be a Bleach-a-thon punctuated by a trip to Hmongtown Market to satisfy my craving for red bean paste.