Goth Goes to the Big Apple: Christmas in Jersey
There may have been a bit of holiday mood going around for the next couple of days, sleeping in, eating giant burgers, making egg nog, possibly doing more shopping *cough*
There was also Die Hard, fuzzy Christmas slippers and wrapping presents in time for Christmas day, just lovely.
Christmas itself involved getting up and putting on my evil elf outfit and driving up to Dog's parents place. The small NJ towns and their cutesy festive ways looked just gorgeous in the snow. I think I gripped my hands to my chest and said the word 'quaint' about 15 times.
On arrival we had multiple types of meat before settling in for gifts around the tree. I love the family ornaments on the tree, from local sporting teams to hand made items celebrating family milestones the whole thing hangs together just beautifully... which would be difficult if the entire thing weren't 9 foot tall!
The best thing about visiting someone else's family for Christmas is you get to smile at all the cheer without being involved in any of the feuds. The Moraskis seem to believe pretty firmly in "leaving each other alone to play with our gifts" so after all the gifting everyone settled down with laptop/DS/computer and had a long and quiet day in the warmth watching a MythBusters marathon and sitting in the warm scent of roasting beef.
Christmas dinner was just lovely and a real compliment to the chef, the greens especially were welcome after a few days of heavy meat and cheese filled food.
Afterwards devolved into endless stories of travel, Australia, the weather and then embarrassing family tales that I wish I'd had in my repertoire years ago. Unfortunately jetlag, the warm house and several rounds of port got the better of me and I crashed out unconscious as soon as I sat back on the couch. I was supposedly pried out of the car still unconscious and hugging my new squishable T-rex for dear life, but was evidently steered into bed and separated from my shoes and coat as I woke up fully clothed in bed several hours later, yet again streaming sweat despite the freezing temperature.
There was also Die Hard, fuzzy Christmas slippers and wrapping presents in time for Christmas day, just lovely.
Christmas itself involved getting up and putting on my evil elf outfit and driving up to Dog's parents place. The small NJ towns and their cutesy festive ways looked just gorgeous in the snow. I think I gripped my hands to my chest and said the word 'quaint' about 15 times.
On arrival we had multiple types of meat before settling in for gifts around the tree. I love the family ornaments on the tree, from local sporting teams to hand made items celebrating family milestones the whole thing hangs together just beautifully... which would be difficult if the entire thing weren't 9 foot tall!
The best thing about visiting someone else's family for Christmas is you get to smile at all the cheer without being involved in any of the feuds. The Moraskis seem to believe pretty firmly in "leaving each other alone to play with our gifts" so after all the gifting everyone settled down with laptop/DS/computer and had a long and quiet day in the warmth watching a MythBusters marathon and sitting in the warm scent of roasting beef.
Christmas dinner was just lovely and a real compliment to the chef, the greens especially were welcome after a few days of heavy meat and cheese filled food.
Afterwards devolved into endless stories of travel, Australia, the weather and then embarrassing family tales that I wish I'd had in my repertoire years ago. Unfortunately jetlag, the warm house and several rounds of port got the better of me and I crashed out unconscious as soon as I sat back on the couch. I was supposedly pried out of the car still unconscious and hugging my new squishable T-rex for dear life, but was evidently steered into bed and separated from my shoes and coat as I woke up fully clothed in bed several hours later, yet again streaming sweat despite the freezing temperature.