So what did you get for Christmas?

Every year I get 3 insignificant gifts. I go to a town about 100 miles away where my brother and his wife and my niece, her husband and 4 kids live. My other brother also comes out there. My brother and sister-n-law know I am a big Gunsmoke fan, so for years they have given me something related to that-- autographed photos by James Arness, Ken Curtis, Bert Reynolds, et al, an original script, a U.S. Marshal's badge, and so on. This year they gave me a kid's game with Dodge City and plastic items to set up on the board. I certainly don't expect my niece and her family to waste anything on me, and from them I got a Hickory Farms box of 2 small summer sausages with a little cheese and crackers. My other brother gave me a stovetop teflon grill, which I might use on occasion.

But my birthday is 6 days before Christmas, and I have 'given myself' something inadvertently several times including a couple of cars when I simply had to have another car. This year I finally did something I had wanted to do for years-- a sleigh ride in the high country (Angel Fire, as it proved to be). I called the number I had on that day and said I was hoping to make a reservation "either today or tomorrow;" figuring tomorrow would more likely be the day. But they had a 'dinner ride' still available on that day, so I accepted it. After hanging up it occurred to me that it was my birthday. I didn't tell anybody else on the ride because I did not want to call attention to myself. And that was one of the best steak dinners I have ever had. Meanwhile, I bought Christmas gifts in that area-- coasters, Indian-made shoes for the little ones, a pocket knife with many function blades for my oldest great nephew, and a few 'stocking stuffer' kind of things; and I also gave some gift cards.

When I was a kid, Christmas was a really big thing-- aunts, uncles, cousins, a turkey, a tree; and a half the living room floor covered with wrapped gifts. My birthday was quite little-- might have gotten one present, but never had a party or anything. Now Christmas is dinky, and I suddenly realize I am giving myself a gift.

PS: when I was talking to Jacque, one of the Percherons that pulled our sleigh, I might have let it slip that it was my birthday, but I didn't think a horse knows what a birthday is.

 

We spent Christmas Eve with our youngest son & family - Michael 5 & Alexandra 3 & enjoyed a Polish traditional meal featuring saurkrout. We move on to our next son & 3 boys, for more traditional food.
Coming home next day my car clutch failed, providentially at a bus stop layby. THe rescue vehicle arrived within an hour.
Our Land Rover Freelander is 18 years old, so we've ordered a new 4-w-d Dacia Duster.

 

We spent the 25th with our younger daughter and her family. at least the two children still at home, not too difficult as they live next door. The eldest has just bought a house, he and his wife have been ripping out a fireplace, puting in a new bathroom and taken down an internal wall, to get it ready to live in before they have to move out of their rented house on Monday. The second is away at university and is behind with her essays and has to catch up, due to having cancer earlier in the year. The third is spending time with her inlaws.
Our elder daughter and her husband and son joined us on the 26th.

A few years ago there was an American woman being interviewed on our local radio about Thanksgiving. At one point she was asked why you had two festivals so close together? She said firstly Thanksgiving was not originally held at the same time in different parts of the country and secondly Christmas was not celebrated in most parts of the country, particularly New England, being considered a papish trivia. It was only in the 18th century when Italian and Irish immigrants came flooding in, that it became more accepted.

 

I had the Lazy Book rocker recliner since we were just dating, been over 20 years now, and finally got replaced this Christmas!