We change what we do most years. The constants are: Christmas breakfast, then opening the stockings and playing with the Legos Mom always puts in there, until she gets bored and says we have to act our age, and then we open presents.

I am never going to get any work done today. Not only is it the last day before my vacation starts, but the DVD playing on the big! shiny! media center near my desk is Phantom of the Opera. I don't want to edit error messages. I want to watch the stupid pretty movie!

I don't want to edit error messages. I want to watch the stupid pretty movie!

Edit the error messages into lines from Phantom .

I am sure things will shake out and I/we will be able to reclaim the holidays as our own... I think we are in transition... I'm definitely a LOT less dark and angry about it all than I used to be... I'm hoping that we are moving toward our own traditions.

(I don't mean to be all self indulgent talky meat about it though. I hope I am not inspiring TOO much eyerolling.)

I guess maybe I'm more sad, at this point in my life, that I don't have those connections and good memories that others seem to have. But, you know, I'll get over it. In fact, I'm practically over it already!

Edit the error messages into lines from Phantom .

Oh, that's tempting. You have no IDEA how tempting.

The constants are: Christmas breakfast, then opening the stockings and playing with the Legos Mom always puts in there, until she gets bored and says we have to act our age, and then we open presents.

Stockings, then breakfast, then presents. This year we have to wedge church in there somewhere, too. (Usually we go to the late night xmas eve, but this year we have to be there on the day of for a baptism.)

Also, the Packers play on xmas this year, so we'll be either watching or hauling ass to Green Bay after church. Brrr.

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wipes water off of monitor

Thank you, Jessica. And I bet the PMs wouldn't even notice the changes!

pick one Nora. ( choose xmas) put somethign on thew stove or oven that cooks all days. buy dvd's as presents for each other . talk on the phone to family. watch movies. eat from the chili pot and drink beer or wine. Do not get dressed.

I have good memories of Christmas when I was a kid. Once high school hit, it was all about the parents' drinking and not so much with the festiveness. By the time I stopped going home, my mom had stopped drinking, but I wanted to start my own traditions. The one time I've gone home for Christmas, was about four years ago when we knew my dad was very sick. My Grandmother fell out of bed at the nursing home during Christmas Eve night, broke several bones, lost consciousness, and they thought she wasn't going to live. My parents spent the day at the hospital and they had the only car, so we hung around all day waiting for news. When they got home, poor things were exhausted. We took them out for Chinese food. It turned out they LOVED going out to dinner instead of my mom making roast beef as she had done every previous year. My dad died two months later, so I am glad we were there.