It's so good to hear about Deena's great holiday. Get well, sick peoples, and enjoy the holiday.

I've had Watergate salad. The nicest thing I can say about it is that it's green. Obviously, there are other opinions on the subject.

My mother makes the 1950s version of Watergate salad, it sounds like. I think it's green jello, cottage cheese, pineapple, and pecans. I... do not love it, but it tastes better than it sounds.

I haven't wrapped presents yet, which is pretty much all there's left to do. Well, other than going to the candlelight service tonight, but that doesn't require much effort on my part. Won't be starting the family part of Christmas until noon tomorrow at the earliest, so I'm pretty relaxed. Which could also be the egg nog that I bought today and then spiked with rum. I've had such a nog craving for the past week. Yum.

Hope the sick folk get better.

Happy Merries.

The bread pudding is in the oven despite the lack of raisins and cinnamon. I still had the nutmeg and I chucked in some crystallized ginger to add a little zing, we'll see how it goes. I bought raspberries to strew over the warm pudding, I hope that will be a winner. The cookies are a no go as it turned out I didn't check my staples before shopping, so not only did I not have the other things already mentioned, but I had only enough sugar for the pudding. My daughter is going to be a leeeeettle peeved with me. The cookies are her OTThing for Christmas. Ah, well. It's not like she's never been peeved with me before. Hopefully, her presents will get her over the peeved. Hee.

Presents are wrapped! Two of them rather creatively but I ran out of paper.

This morning was brunch with the extended family and the family gift exchange. I got to see my cousin who lives out of state and her new dog Daisy, who is the sweetest dog. My gift to my cousin was a hit. I got it all wrong I had to get something for my 5 yr old cousin. Dad got him a remote control car, his Mom noted that he no longer calls them " mote control cars" and her baby is growing up. And I heard the sweetest story.

Several years ago when the twins were about 3 or so my Dad bought them "twin" white seals. The girl, S, promptly called them "the best present ever!" and said "we have to name them." Today Dad was told that at least for the boy twin, the seal is his beloved stuffed animal and when he goes over to his grand parents and can only take 1 or 2 things he always picks the seal. I think that made Dad's christmas.

It's this time of year I feel bad that I don't have kids because my parents would be awesome grandparents. But kids haven't been in the cards and they don't pressure us for kids or anything.

Then tonight I went over to other relatives Xmas party and spent a good bit of the time talking to a cousin about BSG and Firefly. He really really liked Firefly (only saw it after it was aired) so I pimped Drive a bit and he said that even though he doesn't watch tv he might check it out. Well, currently he watches BSG and Heroes. So it was a nice time.

Tomorrow is very low key. Open presents and eat some chili and watch some dvds.

I just had a shockingly nice christmas. I mean...normally my parents manage to be annoying or embarassing or just clueless. As recently as last night at dinner, in fact. But we just had a pleasant evening, family stories were told but did not make anyone burst out crying, relatives were talked to on the phone, presents were enjoyed (and for once, everyone LIKED theirs!), food was decent, we left at a good hour...madness! Is this MY family?!?!

I feel like surely something horrible will happen tomorrow and we will all be yelling at each other and bitter. Sigh.

Is this MY family?!?!

Maybe they've been secretly replaced and somebody is trying to see if you've noticed the difference.

meara's family is Folger's Crystals?

If I pretend I didn't notice, will I get to keep the new ones? Or do I have to say I DID notice, and then I keep the new ones? I'll do whatever it takes!!!

Pssssst...I have wireless! Whee!

I'm trying to decide if I have the energy to go to my Xmas eve bar. It's a 20 minute drive from my parents place.