Post-Holiday Reflections

Christmas has come and gone...and here I sit...still wearing my "lovely" black boot on my broken right foot...sigh.

The accident was on Wednesday, December 19th...NOT good timing when it comes to the holiday season. Fortunately, I had finished 100% of my gift-shopping; however, I still had some holiday baking/cooking to do, and trips to the grocery store were in order. Apparently, everyone else had the same idea...as about 9,252 other people were buying last minute groceries over the weekend. Fun, I'm tellin' ya. Not.

Our annual Reindeer Games Party was held on Saturday, December 22nd...I think it was a huge success, considering we had almost 50 people over for five hours. We had food, drink, games, and merriment - and my foot didn't protest too much until the evening was over. I tried to behave myself for most of the evening, but a challenge to play ping-pong with my brother was too good to pass up...although my foot was NOT happy about jumping around a ping-pong table. It was all worth it, though, when I managed to beat my brother not once, but TWICE.... Yes. I am competitive. How can you tell?

Games of Kerplunk (I won), Connect-Four (yup, I won again), Operation (lost that game - I DON'T have a steady hand), Battleship (never got a chance to play), among others...offered lots of opportunities for our friends and family to sit back, relax, and have some much-needed fun so close to the holiday. The evening was topped with a massive gift-exchange with our grandchildren, nephews, and nieces - and it was a true joy to see the delight after the ribbons, paper and bows were torn, tossed and discarded. All the past weeks, slaving over the internet in search of perfect gifts for everyone, came together in these moments - and I was truly tickled.

Sunday was spent in massive clean-up...our house looked pretty much like a war zone, and if there's one thing I can't stand, is a dirty house. Especially before Santa is due to arrive. Yikes. So...the day was spent watching the Chiefs lose yet another football game (sigh), while dusting and mopping and vacuuming. I'd have delegated a lot of this to Hubby, if I could...but he conveniently decided to make a trip to Columbia, Missouri to visit the one daughter who was unable to make it to the party the night before. What good timing on his part...amazing.

As Hubby was unavailable, I looked to my 13-year old daughter to help...but she conveniently was at her grandparents' house for the Annual Cookie Baking/Decorating Party...sigh. And the older sons were either at work or visiting friends....So that left...me. Actually, I rather enjoyed the peace and quiet that pervaded the house...as it was a nice respite from the chaos and craziness from the night before.

Monday was Christmas Eve...and I woke up to find not one, but TWO sickies in the house. Hubby had come down with a bad case of the stomach flu, complete with fever...while Daughter was suffering from a bad head cold. That evening, Daughter and I headed down for our annual "A Christmas Carol" theater night at our local Repertory Theater...while Hubby stayed in bed. The show was good...as usual...but it wasn't the same without Hubby. And speaking of Hubby...he's normally an angel, but when he's sick...ack. I got to be Mom, Nurse, AND Santa that night...I was running pretty ragged, while hobbling everywhere on my lovely black boot.

Christmas Day...what a true joy. This year, Santa brought lots of small things...but not necessarily any "big" items...no Kindles, iPads, or Wii's - as we already have those from previous Christmases. The kids all seemed happy...Hubby seemed happy...so that made me happy. After a delicious breakfast of cinnamon rolls, we headed over to my parents' house for our annual get-together with my family...and another fun day ensued. My parents are both in their 70's...and I treasure the time I have with them.

For the past several months, I have been working on putting our family history together...doing a lot of research on the internet, as well as interviews, with various family members. I traced both my father's AND my mother's side back to pre-Revolutionary War...and I found funny stories and quirky trivia along the way. My project ended up being almost 70-pages long, and a quick trip to the printer was in order last Friday. On Christmas Day, I presented bound copies to my own kids, as well as copies to my brother, my sister, and my parents. Was it a fancy gift? No. Was it expensive? No. But I think...when it was all said and done...it was the best present that I gave this year....

As for me? What was the best present I received? My best present was the presence...of my family...my friends...my pets...of the love that we felt this holiday season. Even with a bum foot...hobbling in pain...I was never so happy...!

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas...however you chose to celebrate it.

Peace.