First – a PSA on behalf of all holiday novelty items that relatives may consider sending to our children: “Don’t. Please.”

I like to call this picture “The Island of Misfit Christmas Decor Characters”

Pictured: Hallmark Snowman (unmasked to reveal that he’s really a robot), Nutcracker ornament with
a broken head, one-armed Dancing Santa and nose-less Frosty the Snowman
Gone but not forgotten: singing Douglas Fir, Hallmark Moose with colorful string of lights and
Coca Cola Polar Bear playing the bass (I’d like to buy the world a Coke…)

Run Dancing Santa! Run as fast as those jolly little legs can go!

Don’t let them take your other arm.

But enough about the plight of the Hallmark holiday crap that my children have mauled over the past few years… Sunday was Christmas! Here is what ours looked like:

BEFORE

AFTERMATH

And here is bonus picture of Chris very carefully pouring the buttermilk I bought for making biscuits into the quiche pie crusts (he thought it was heavy cream).

Fun fact: buttermilk doesn’t ruin quiche – but it’s definitely a little different.

It was a good Christmas. Both sets of grandparents were here, as was my brother. A few friends dropped by to visit. And there were minimal displays of poor behavior on behalf of the children. Or at least, we thought they were fine and everyone else talked about us behind our backs. Both scenarios suit me well enough.

Yesterday the tree started smelling and I was all set to take it down. But the public outcry against dismantling the tree before New Year’s day convinced me to live with the smell of old cheese for the rest of the week. Then my mother came to the rescue with the suggestion of pouring some bleach in the water, and the day was saved! Of course there is nothing to do about the fact that needles sprinkle to the floor every time one of our neighbors walks up or down their stairs…so we’ll just have to live with threat of a fire hazard for the rest of the week.

All in the name of holiday cheer. As it should be.

Hoping that all of you who celebrate Christmas had a very merry one – and that everyone else enjoyed a fabulous “thank god it’s almost over” Sunday!

See you in the New Year…