Obligatory Christmas Report (tissue alert)

I hope you had a great Christmas, if that's one of your holidays, and that at least you had a good day off! I had a fine time, with good food and my wonderful family, who are the best gift of all!

I am toting one gift around, all sniffly and sentimental. Tuba Boy, who is usually incredibly "gift impaired" stepped up to the plate and did much better this year--I think he had peer pressure combined with knowing girls who give "suggestions." He had asked me for $20 to finish paying for a present a few weeks ago, and I gave it to him. Turns out that at school they had a fund-raiser selling some plaques that you could get inscribed with whatever you wanted on them, and he made me one. That's it on the left.

And here is what it says (tissues may be necessary):

To Mom

So many times the appreciation I have for you goes unspoken.
I'd just like to take this time to thank you for all the encouragement, guidance, and understanding you have shown me throughout my years.
You've always been there when I needed you.

Love, [Tuba Boy]

That is something to treasure, isn't it? He sure has a big heart. And to see him opening his gifts with real appreciation in his eyes (even loved getting a watch, albeit a pretty cool one with a LIGHT and a COMPASS!) was wonderful. He even loved the hat I made for him and wore it all day--today I will reblock it a bit to make the top less pointy and then I think it will be a keeper. Sigh. No matter what happens to me, I feel rich just for having such wonderful young people in my life. Mrs. Tuba Boy is going to be SOOO lucky.

His brother earned his keep, too, by helping me cook dinner, since I had no other helper (Lee was not feeling too hot most of the day, having woken up WAY too early--perhaps anticipating Santa). Beccano was so cheerful about it and zestily cut up sweet potatoes and such. He wore his ninja boots (authentic!) and the Thor's Hammer necklace Lee got him all day. (Lee got me a celtic cross from Sacred Source, which was a nice surprise, too--the kids loved hearing how my friend's family works with the artisans in India to create the statues and other items). Here's Beccano, at last wearing the requested Lucha Libre mask that I knitted for him (in the book Son of Stitch 'n Bitch, which is also the source of Tuba Boy's hat, below). It really brings out his eyes, doesn't it?

Both boys got guitar straps as gifts, and here is Tuba Boy in his hat, rocking out standing up, which apparently is a big thrill to the almost-17-year-old set. He also loves his black t-shirt. I got him three black shirts and a jacket at Old Navy on Christmas Eve--for less than $50. He is so happy to have so much new blackness in his life, with long sleeves.

I think Lee had a great time, too. Said he'd never got so many gifts. Different families have different traditions! I always liked to get a bunch of little things in addition to a big thing--this year I just omitted the big thing. I'd say the biggest kick he got was from the "My Little Kthulu" action figure Beccano got for him (I am just glad it MADE IT here). The last photo in my extra festive collection shows Lee totally losing it when he discovered that Kthulu was in the box. If you go to Flickr, you will find photos of the dogs, of Lee wearing socks on his ears and much more holiday fun.

All in all, I had a great holiday, marred only by the BIG mistake of watching a movie labeled "Employee of the Month," not realizing it was not the light-hearted 2006 Jennifer Aniston movie, but instead the horrible, mean-spirited 2004 black comedy with Matt Dillon in it. I got nauseated and had to stop watching it. Luckily I felt better in time to eat the delicious dinner, and we did manage to find a more enjoyable movie to watch after dining. Whew.

My family liked all their hand knitted gifts, too, and I talked to Jeff and his mom in Florida. I know this is not the holiday either of them expected to be having, but both seem to be doing their best. We'll go see Lee's dad on Sunday, after Tina's wedding extravaganza is over. Something to look forward to!

Christmas Meme Thing

I don't have any brilliant Christmas Eve posting ideas, so here's a meme I found on Becca's blog, which she found on someone else's. At least it will be fun. And if I already posted this photo of the Christmas Tree,well, here it is again.


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? We have recycled the same gift bags for many, many years. I do like to wrap, but especially this year, being frugal is good. And saving trees and all that. I hope to sew more cloth bags at some point.

2. Real or artificial tree? Real this year after a long time with the same artificial tree, which stayed up for a few years after its box broke. We would decorate it sporadically with the theme of the season and hope it looked quirky and interesting. The tree died last year (broke). This year's tree is really nice and smells good. Yes, we will have to clean up some needles, but at least Buddy only peed on it that one time.

3. When do you put up the tree? At some point after Thanksgiving when there is time. I wanted to get a good tree, so we didn't wait too long.

4. When do you take the tree down? Right after New Year's. I like the happy decorations.

5. Do you like eggnog? Very much, especially the eggnog my friend Austin used to bring to church parties. It was decadent. I miss that. He has a new family now and is way too busy for those community things.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? The china horses my grandfather gave me when I was very little. I still have the ones that haven't broken.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No, we aren't (gasp) Christian. We celebrate the pre-Christian aspects of the season and all the love.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My dad. He doesn't need anything and there's nothing I can really knit for him.

9. Worst Christmas present ever received? Well, thankfully no one has ever given me a nose hair trimmer, so I am one up on poor Jeff. I must have blanked the worst gift out of my mind. I try to concentrate on "it's the thought that counts."

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I haven't done any the past few years, since times have been so hard and things keep changing. I hate to send out "lost yet another job, and have another new boyfriend." Goal: to be more settled next year, and able to send nice bland happy stuff, in whatever medium.

11. Favorite Christmas movie? I don't like them.

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I start knitting in September or October. Buying in late November. I love me them Internets.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I can't remember doing it. I guess if I got something that I knew someone else would truly love, I'd do it, but I'd tell them.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Fruit cake. Had none this year.

15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored. Lots of purple. I like all the new shapes.

16. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Come All Ye Faithful. Yeah, I know, not my tradition but I liked that since I was a kid.

17. Travel or stay home? Stay home. I have always been home since I had the kids. Though they left last year (ick ick ick).

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course.

19. Star on the top of the tree? Yes, a really nice plain one I got at Target last year. For many years I actually used to have an angel that my former Lutheran theologian office mate Steve gave me. We took off her halo and called her the Yule Goddess.

20. Open presents on Eve or Morning? My family of origin had Swedish members, so growing up we opened family gifts on Christmas Eve and Santa came on Christmas. Now Christmas eve seems boring. Since I was an adult, we opened on Christmas morning, once all the adults have their COFFEE.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Losing my job. I had things I really wanted to get the kids and Lee that I can't. I am also sad that Jeff has to be in Florida and can't join us.

22. Best thing about this time of the year? Watching the kids get more into giving as they grow older. It is so nice to have them ask me what so and so would want, and to help them get things for others. I thought they'd never grow out of the "MEMEMEMEME" phase. Of course, that did not happen to Tuba Boy until this year, and he is almost 17!