A Few Holiday Highlights

So yeah, we’ve done a few things in the last month, including but not limited to:

Charleston

There’s nothing like a quick trip to Charleston to put you in the Christmas spirit. The city is decked out much as you would imagine.

The Polar Express Movie

The small people watched The Polar Express movie on the last day of school in December. Apparently, there was a timing glitch, and the riveted elementary students were ushered out of the North Pole a few minutes before the end of the movie.

“I feel so ripped off,” mumbled my eldest as we watched the movie together the next week.

He mumbled it twice. Clearly, I went wrong somewhere as a parent.

“Oh, I’m sure they’ll show us the end when we get back to school,” my younger son reasoned, full of the confidence that inexperience brings.

Oh, what a cold, cruel world he’s about to experience.

Christmas Cookies

We did the annual cookie baking, including Christmas sugar cookies. Almost every year when we make these, for the first twenty minutes I think, “Why don’t we make these more often? They’re so much fun!” But every year, by the time I’m cleaning up after the colossal mess, I’m ready to never make them again.

Also, if any of you have any idea what this shape is, please contact me. No, seriously, please contact me. I’ve spent two decades trying to figure out what this is, and the small people are proving to be no help.

Chicago

Due to post-Christmas celebrations scheduled in the Midwest, we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Chicago. Along the way, we met up with friends,

stopped at Winter Wonderfest in Navy Pier, indulged in some of the finest steaks Chicago has to offer, watched the second Hobbit movie (I recommend), and introduced the small people to a place called “Cold.” We even purchased winter coats special-like for the occasion.

Look closely. Yes, Elf found us there.

New Year’s Eve

Back in the day (i.e., the nineties), LCB and I hosted some rockin’ New Year’s Eve parties. Yes, our parties involved staying up past midnight AND a disco ball. Our disco ball has been in storage since the small people arrived on the scene, so we determined that this year would be the year we introduced it to them. Our determination lasted right up until the moment when we had to actually take it out of the box.

At this point (i.e., 8 o’clock), LCB and I were lounging on the couch, chugging coffee in an effort to stay awake, so we decided next year would be a better introductory year.

Baby-girl, however, offered up alternate entertainment by setting up a face painting station.

This is her interpretation of a diamond on my cheek.

Around the midnight hour, LCB revived himself long enough to break out a Rossini CD. Moved by some inexplicable force, LCB proceeded to direct an imaginary orchestra for the duration. He became more animated as the CD progressed. The boys sat unmoved, constructing their Hobbit Legos. Baby-girl, however, was mesmerized, laughing all the harder as he continued. Midway, she leaned over, cupped her hand over my ear and whispered, “I didn’t know that Dad would do something that weird.”

If you knew LCB, a man with few inhibitions, you’d know that that was no small statement. 

Epiphany

Tonight, we finished out the holiday season with LCB’s interpretive reading of the story of Epiphany (the story of the three wise men) which concluded with small gifts for the small people.

Thus, we are now ready to return to our regularly scheduled winter programming. This month’s feature presentations will include Shakespeare Ad Nauseam, Basketball: My Life Now Whether I Want It To Be or Not, The Return of the New Health Regime, and new episodes of All I Want Is To Crawl Right Back into Winter Break Again So Please Send Chocolate (But Don’t Tell the New Regime).

We’re bringing on 2014, y’all.