Christmas Wrap-Up
I love Christmas, but this year's was definitely one to be gotten over with rather than savored and enjoyed. No fault of the holiday, but when you just got laid off and your family is going through a lot, stocking stuffers are not what you want to focus on.
But it went fine. Christmas cards did make it out the door, although whether they all made it to their stops by Xmas I have no idea. Presents got wrapped (there were only a few). Our sole guest for Xmas eve had had a major death in the family, so we didn't actually expect her, but she was able to come anyway, and we were able to have a pleasant evening even with all the talk about funerals and estates and families and so on. If Xmas eve involves a lot of guests, C goes all out with a feast of the seven fishes, but we had a mini version with just shrimp cocktail and then homemade mushroom ravioli, with homemade spice cookies and biscotti for dessert.
My mom was supposed to get out of the hospital on the 24th, but I hadn't heard anything from my dad about whether that actually happened. I found out from a Christmas Day FB post from my brother that the plumbing problems that had shown up in their condo building a few weeks ago had turned into something major and the apt was currently full of dehumidifiers clanking away. So Mom was still in the hospital as of yesterday and I'm not sure where she's going next, if the apt is still not ideally habitable. I guess I'll find out today. But I did talk with Dad and Mom yesterday (Mom is past the 'being able to chat for any length of time' stage, so I just wished her a Merry Christmas and sympathized about the hospital).
We also facetimed with C's family, currently gathered at niece's house in St. Paul - saw the adorable children and their presents and had a great time, opened our presents from them on camera. They gave us the traditional Swarovski ornaments that C asks for every year and I got Star Wars stuff, also traditional. Then we opened our own presents. My big one is the opera in a week or so, but I also got a merino wool top from Brooks Brothers (which I may have to exchange, as it may be too small). My stocking had fancy soap (which I love) and Coke-flavored lip balm (or maybe it's lip gloss - that will be festive), and candy canes and Ghirardelli peppermint bark. His had unshelled nuts and Baci chocolate candies and a Starbucks gift card and Randy Rainbow's Christmas album. His big present was a set of Bose headphones, but I also got him two t-shirts: one witht the logo for the Columbia Inn, Pine Tree, Vermont (from "White Christmas") and another of a cartoon Judy Garland from "Meet Me in St. Louis", captioned "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".
We got about halfway through the Sims Christmas Carol before Miss Evita showed up, so then it was a relaxed afternoon (except for C, cooking). Dinner was traditional turkey, with mashed potatoes, dressing, roasted brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce and so on. Fantastic.
So now I can tackle putting away the dishes and doing the handwashing - our nice silverware requires it, but much easier for three people than for twelve, I must say. And figure out What Happens Next, because Christmas is done.
Merry Christmas, everyone, and Happy New Year!
But it went fine. Christmas cards did make it out the door, although whether they all made it to their stops by Xmas I have no idea. Presents got wrapped (there were only a few). Our sole guest for Xmas eve had had a major death in the family, so we didn't actually expect her, but she was able to come anyway, and we were able to have a pleasant evening even with all the talk about funerals and estates and families and so on. If Xmas eve involves a lot of guests, C goes all out with a feast of the seven fishes, but we had a mini version with just shrimp cocktail and then homemade mushroom ravioli, with homemade spice cookies and biscotti for dessert.
My mom was supposed to get out of the hospital on the 24th, but I hadn't heard anything from my dad about whether that actually happened. I found out from a Christmas Day FB post from my brother that the plumbing problems that had shown up in their condo building a few weeks ago had turned into something major and the apt was currently full of dehumidifiers clanking away. So Mom was still in the hospital as of yesterday and I'm not sure where she's going next, if the apt is still not ideally habitable. I guess I'll find out today. But I did talk with Dad and Mom yesterday (Mom is past the 'being able to chat for any length of time' stage, so I just wished her a Merry Christmas and sympathized about the hospital).
We also facetimed with C's family, currently gathered at niece's house in St. Paul - saw the adorable children and their presents and had a great time, opened our presents from them on camera. They gave us the traditional Swarovski ornaments that C asks for every year and I got Star Wars stuff, also traditional. Then we opened our own presents. My big one is the opera in a week or so, but I also got a merino wool top from Brooks Brothers (which I may have to exchange, as it may be too small). My stocking had fancy soap (which I love) and Coke-flavored lip balm (or maybe it's lip gloss - that will be festive), and candy canes and Ghirardelli peppermint bark. His had unshelled nuts and Baci chocolate candies and a Starbucks gift card and Randy Rainbow's Christmas album. His big present was a set of Bose headphones, but I also got him two t-shirts: one witht the logo for the Columbia Inn, Pine Tree, Vermont (from "White Christmas") and another of a cartoon Judy Garland from "Meet Me in St. Louis", captioned "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".
We got about halfway through the Sims Christmas Carol before Miss Evita showed up, so then it was a relaxed afternoon (except for C, cooking). Dinner was traditional turkey, with mashed potatoes, dressing, roasted brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce and so on. Fantastic.
So now I can tackle putting away the dishes and doing the handwashing - our nice silverware requires it, but much easier for three people than for twelve, I must say. And figure out What Happens Next, because Christmas is done.
Merry Christmas, everyone, and Happy New Year!