Christmas Report!

[RG_]

Originally Posted by RG_

What did you do, how did you see, what happened? What did you get for Christmas, if anything? Was the holiday a joy, or was it a downer (and it is for many people)?

And my own report.

My holidays started further back in December with a Christmas party with co-workers, at one the home of one of the members. He has a very upscale home and it was a great place for a party. He has a bar with built in beer taps and a game room, so it all went off very well.

On the 23rd I celebrated Christmas with my kids, all of whom except one are grown by now. The youngest, 17, spent the 23rd and 24th with me. sarah provided much help on the 23rd, and we had a very nice gathering. There were meatballs in barbecue sauce, queso (melted cheese) and tortilla chips, sliced ham for sandwiches, a veggie tray, a meat and cheese tray, pies, and a big platter of assorted fudges and finger cakes. In our large coffee urn was hot wassel--very good and made from scratch by sarah. There were Christmas movies for the younger kids (I'm not sure that we put any on in the kids room, but they were there), and Christmas music was playing in the background. We finally gathered around and distributed gifts. I still put up stockings with their names for my kids, now stuffed with very traditional Christmas stocking items: candies, tangerines, apples, and candy canes. When they were kids I also put little toys and such in them. There was also a tiny stocking for one of their missing sibs.

On the 24th my youngest daughter and I went shopping for a couple of items for sarah that I had not been able to get away and get for her (all of our shopping trips to the "big cities" had been together). I got a few more things for my daughter, too, and then went home.

On Christmas Eve, with the house cleaned up again from the day before, sarah and I sat down on the couch and watched two movies. One is my favorite Christmas season movie and one that she likes, A Christmas Story, about a nine-year-old boy named Ralphie in the 1950's, who desparately wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas, and schemes and worries about getting it, alternately despairing of hope and then trying another plan to procure it. It's a great story all in its own right, but it's also a time-machine trip back into my own childhood. After that we watched sarah's favorite Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. It was actually a cute little story--I hadn't seen it before--and being set in the sea something very suited to my liking of course, being a sailor. After the movie we went to bed and had some Christmas Eve fun.

sarah is a notorious gift peeker, so I kept her gifts locked away. So on Christmas morning I got up and told her to stay in bed while I got Christmas morning put together. I put the coffee on, then retrieved all of the gifts, and then set about preparing and wrapping them. (This all accompanied by a cry of "Hurry up, pokey!!") When all was almost ready, I made her a glass of eggnog (lightly spiked with Southern Comfort, we being Southerners, of course. ), with nutmeg and cinnamon sprinkled on top, and then put Christmas carols on again to play softly in the background just to set the right atmosphere for the moment. She came out with her red silk pajamas on (very Christmasy), and we then had our Christmas together. She must speak for herself, but I thought it was all just a wonderful time.

Afterward, she left to spend Christmas afternoon with her parents and her kids, returned from their father. When she came home in the evening we then finished Christmas off with gifts for her two kids that live with us, a 3-year old girl and a 6-year old boy. They were just thrilled by some of what they got, especially the boy who got a Superman outfit. He's still wearing it today, insisting that we call him "Superman" and not by his given name. LOL

Now, of course, there's the clean-up and the storing of all of the Christmas items. Sigh.

RG,

Sounds like you and yours had a dandy few days. Happy for you. We like to keep the Christmas stuff up until New Year's Day.....lets us postpone (procrastinate????) having to break down and store all the stuff until next year.

Happy 2007 to you shipmate!!!!

rangerboy

[sarah thorne]

whew - longwinded, ain't he? He spelled wassail wrong too.

Actually, Christmas was very nice. The nice surprise was that his youngest stayed the night on the 23rd, something that rarely happens!

Christmas morning was rung in, literally at midnight, with orgasmic bliss (just what he was aiming for, he said) as Santa took time out of his busy schedule to romp in bed with me. (I am hoping the same timing can be accomplished New Year's Eve -- somewhat of a challenge, being how we have plans to be at his sister's New Year's Eve Party)

Eggnog, gifts, and red satin Victoria Secret PJ's abound - Christmas morning was low key and laid back.

"Superman" has finally taken off his own pj's (the superman outfit was actually pajamas with a cape) and put some clothes on. He has also gotten a toy Black and decker "chainsaw' and is going around trying to cut everyone's arms and heads off.

sarah

[garyspk]

[QUOTE=sarah thorne;1481]whew - longwinded, ain't he? He spelled wassail wrong too.

Sarah,

As long as we don't have to refer to RG as "Superman" here, it's all good.

Glad you guys had a Merry Christmas.

[Richard Windsor]

Being 3,500 miles away from my family, Christmas can sometimes really have it's down moments. It is the small things in life that count, and what I got this year was as good as anybody got.

Firstly I received a card from my Mum sometime around Nov 12th Inside it included a card from my two Brothers with whom my Mum had so kindly signed their names for them

Then I received cards from an Aunt who I haven't heard from since my father's funeral 7 years ago, one from my long lost friend who I searched for 10 years to find, and finally found her this year. A very cheeky hand drawn Christmas card from a certain young miss who probably needs a good spanking I also got one from ZED and Sarah, and while unfortunately it was returned to sender, the thought is still there and is fully appreciated.

Punishedbrats were more than kind enough to send me a gift certificate which was a complete surprise. I used that to purchase the 'Wizard Of Oz' deluxe collectors edition. Without too much detail, the prize in this set is the original 4 silent film versions of The Wizard Of Oz, including Oliver Hardy playing the Tin Woodsman in one edition.

Finally, and the best gift of all, a very special person called me up on Christmas Eve and saw Christmas in with me. Something that I will remember and cherish.

Richard Windsor.

P.S. My Christmas spirit left 5 minutes ago when I typed this and the website booted me, meaning I had to retype the whole bloody thing. Hopefully Jesus, Mary and Joseph will forgive my inserting 4 letter words in between their names

[RG_]

Originally Posted by Richard Windsor

I also got one from ZED and Sarah, and while unfortunately it was returned to sender, the thought is still there and is fully appreciated.

We're sending it back to you, out-of-season now or not, HD. Can't do much else with it now! It really kind of has us smoked. They are rather large cards, right at the postal limit for normal mail, but still "in" the range, supposedly. Sarah even had the first one at the post office weighed, just to make sure, and it qualified. So she duly stamped them all and sent them away. We got our first clue that perhaps not all was kosher when one was returned before yours. That was to friends close by, however, and we were having dinner with them on the 22nd, so was able to deliver it to them by hand. Yours will have to be reposted and included in a larger envelope, I think, because they put the "Return" sticker right over your name and address.

All the rest were apparently delivered, so I guess you were just on the wrong end of the draw. Hope that luck doesn't extend to gambling, or you'll be losing a lot of money!