Tomorrow will surely be a holiday hangover.
Yes, I indulged on many levels with all things chocolate and…chocolate…and…I am not sure if there is a piece of chocolate in a 10 mile radius that I have not eyed or touched today. It is 9:40 pm and still I find myself craving more…chocolate.
My motto was it only happens once a year – Christmas that is – so might as well get while the getting is good. And while there is a smorgasboard of chocolate in front of me. There was. Really. It was sick – it was like every form of torture was placed on a table within my reach – box chocolate, chocolate covered cookies, chocolate chip cookies and damn Meredith made buckeyes.
They were really, really good.
You know that movie Four Christmases? In the past few years my life has been Five Christmases. In a 24 hour period, Chris and I would start at Uncle Bill’s on Christmas Eve. Up to his parent’s house on Christmas morning, my mom’s house Christmas mid morning, my dad’s Christmas early afternoon only to finish up at Aunt Denise’s on Christmas night. Count them – F.I.V.E. Christmases.
That’s a lot of festivus.
This year we – like good little swimmers – (well, not really good swimmers but you get the point) – clasped our hands over head and streamlined off the wall. A streamlined, sleeker Christmas. We atteneded three Christmases which we decided was really quite nice. And just as festive as five.
There were no workouts today which made Christmas even more of a festival of fatty fat foods and chocolate. I know that no workout days should be low calories days but…but…once a year.
ONCE A YEAR!
It was my present to myself – indulgence.
Cheers!
Speaking of presents, there were many – thank you mom – for yet again giving me the Christmas every 6 year old dreams of. I’m 33 and I get showered with gifts that I still think Santa brings on his sleigh. My mom is crazy into Christmas in a way that makes Santa look weak. In her next career she will be Santa’s personal shopper and put him to shame.
Chris and I do not exchange gifts. We even confirmed this the other day. Yet every year he has a gift for me. This year it was a new IPod. I have been told that now I need to buy him a new IPod to make the gift giving circle complete.
But I thought we didn’t do gifts?
Everyone gathered at Aunt Denise’s house tonight. Thor and Boss wrestled each other until they collapsed in respective corners on the couch. Mr. Tom got a new book about trains. I tried on Meredith’s 6 inch heels and for the first time in my 33 years I could see what was actually on top of the mantle. My husband fell asleep on the couch after too much liquid holiday cheer. Uncle Mike fed Boss prime rib but at least he asked permission first. Betty exclaimed that she ate too much. Frank and Thor wore matching Christmas sweaters too.
The buffet table was everything a classic Christmas should have. There was meat, potatoes, casserole, a creamy salad and puppy chow. If you don’t know what puppy chow is you do not know what you are missing. It ties Buckeyes for perhaps the most perfect form of junk food.
I thought about stealing baby Jesus from the nativity scene but really was more interested in the sheep. There had to be 6 sheep and they were so small and white and cute…..until I found this. Something much easier to steal and way more versatile than a ceramic sheep. I found myself a new crazy hat…
Then in an ironic twist of really I should just learn to keep my mouth shut – I opened this:
This, my friends, is an Irish Santa in a canoe. With a Christmas tree. When Denise saw it she just laughed because it wasn’t…a snowman and the non-snowman in the canoe was wearing a Shamrocked-hat.
I couldn’t help myself but to say but I’m not Irish.
Doesn’t matter. I am now.
I’ve decided this ornament reminds me of what Christmas is all about – good times, good laughs and memories. Even though it’s not a snowman, it will make it on my tree. Perhaps even a prime real estate spot on a front branch of the tree just because.
Tomorrow is back to the real world. No more holiday. No Christmas sweaters. No more gifts. But with one last final hurrah next week – New Years Eve before we can sweep 2008 behind us and move on from here.
I am ready for that.
It’s not so much that I don’t enjoy looking back – for all good and not-so-good things are always lessons learned – it’s just that it’s so much more exciting to look ahead. A year of possibility, renewal, hope, 12 months of what ifs and what could be.
Until then, happy post-Festivus everyone. Hope you had a magical day of Wii’s, iPhones, race wheels, Lulumon, Garmins and whatever else Santa gifted to you.
(and if anyone saw Santa, did you happen to notice if he was wearing an Irish hat?)
