An Old Fashioned Family Christmas

Wow..the days have flown by. Seems just like yesterday I was writing about bagels and Thanksgiving. Now, here we are two days past Christmas and looking forward to three months of crappy weather and no Christmas music. But, just so y'all will be grateful for your own Old Fashioned Family Christmas, I give you mine....

A few days before Thanksgiving, Christmas music commences on radio. Color me happy. I love it, can't help it. I think I mentioned there are a couple of songs I can do without, so I won't rehash that, but overall, I don't think I could ever hear "Mary Did You Know" too many times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN70R-3ao0U

December 1 comes...trees are up. Decorating has commenced and is in full on fluff. Party coming up on 12/11. Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Ornament exchange on www.sowal.com 
This is where we draw names and make an ornament for a fellow SoWaller. This year, I happened to draw my favorite of them all, Miss Kitty. It was a heck of a lot of funn (that's how we spell it) thinking up stuff to make for her. She's always such a funn recipient!! Ornament done by the 10th and delivered. Proper ooooooing and ahhhing done.
Party at the house for work peeps on the 11th. Much funn is had.
Next day....boom!! The crud sets in. Dammit all to hell. Lose at least 4 whole days hacking up a lung and going through at least a box of Kleenex. Don't want to use the Christmas Puffs in the pretty box in the bathroom, so I use the less than soft regular old Kleenex in my bathroom. Shoulda used the Puffs. Nose feels like sandpaper.
Flash forward four days...finally coming out of Nyquil induced haze enough to start shopping a little and making a few cards and goodies for far away friends.
Step-daughter who's been visiting from England and is supposed to stay through Christmas announces she has gotten a job in PAKISTAN (for the LOVE OF GOD!) and is leaving on the 19th. Her journey is a whole other blog, but suffice it to say the trip did not go smoothly.
12/18--Making candy and being bummed are not conducive to a happy holiday. Candy gets made, boxed up and ready to mail on the 20th. So late!! Effing cold...
12/19--Step-daughter leaves. Bummed.
12/20--On vacation!! Off to USPO. Second in line!!! Yippee!!! Stuff mailed in record time!!
12/21--More candy making for work peeps.
12/22--Deliver work peeps stuff. Take son shopping for his kids. Shop, shop, shop. Stop for a hamburger. Watch peeps at next table pick their teeth while AT table. Jeez.......
Shop some more. Come home. Wrap stuff.
12/23--Out of town uncle arrives. Cooking in full swing after the obligatory trip to WalMart.
12/24--Christmas Eve!! How did it get here so fast? Shop in the blinding rain. More wrapping. All kids arrive...4 grown kids, 1 boyfriend, 5 grandkids, 1 uncle and one ex-husband. Many cocktails are consumed, dinner is served without rolls because nobody fucking listens when I tell them three times we need rolls. Many more cocktails are consumed. Skyping going on with stranded Pakistan bound girl, more drinks consumed. Christmas Vacation watched and we all laughed like we hadn't seen it 300 times. Greatness. More drinks consumed. I finally go to bed around 2. Left them up drinking.
12/25--Bodies all over, but at least no one drove anywhere. Wait for ALL to get up before kids can open presents. Cook breakfast. Wait some more. Crap opened. Boxes and paper fly everywhere. Kids play with stuff. I go to couch. Watch Christmas Story two or three times. Try to stay warm. Toilet upstairs begins to revolt and stop up.
12/26--Other two toilets join revolt. Did I tell husband this was happening...yes. Did he listen...no. Did I tell him again....yes.  Did he listen...no.  Did he finally tell me at 8pm to call a plumber, he was going to bed...yes. Did I call plumber...yes. Did I cancel plumber after no fucking call back...yes.
12/27..Back to work! Blissful, peaceful, work. Were toilets fixed when I got home....yes.

Merry Christmas and Happy Effing New Year!!