Christmas 2017

Man, this was a good one -- if somewhat fraught. First: it was a WHITE CHRISTMAS! So rare! On the morning of Christmas Eve it started hailing. Then there were snowflakes intermingled with the hail (or was it sleet?). Then it was just snowing, and we got at least an inch, and then some freezing rain to seal the deal.

In any event, that was Christmas Eve and I'm here to talk about Christmas. It was so icy on Christmas Day that Grandma could not traverse the treacherous 25 feet between her front door and our back. We have a wheelchair for such emergencies, but had loaned it out in the spirit of Christmas, not expecting snow and ice. No matter. We had our Christmas at our house and then brought Christmas to Grandma -- her gifts from others (there were many) and her gifts to the girls (a dress for Elizabeth and a shirt and pants for Suzanne, who has stopped wearing dresses), plus a plate of the wonderful breakfast Barb had prepared.

I said in the first sentence that this Christmas was somewhat fraught. That was because I decided to get the girls video games for the Xbox. They already play Minecraft on the Xbox, but also play a random assortment of games on our phones, our computers, and Grandma's iPad. I've started to notice that some of these games are kind of trashy, and most of them have ads I'd rather the girls not see. So the relatively expensive but ad-free games on the Xbox offer -- I think -- a better overall experience. On the other hand, I don't want my kids to become video game fiends*, and by exposing them to "the good stuff" (what one writer described as "the apex predator of entertainment") I run the risk of doing so.

But so be it. It is done.

The girls loved, or at least liked, all of their gifts. (Although, Suzanne did opine: "It was weird to get a video game for Christmas.")  They got four board games, all of which we played and all of which were fun. They really liked the antique patent medicine bottles they got from Uncle Mark and Aunt Mary. And the mermaid gear they got from Uncle Scott and Melissa. And all the rest of it.

And beyond the gifts, we watched three Christmas movies in three days (Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, and A Christmas Story -- Barb and Elizabeth liked Miracle best, Suzanne and I liked Elf best. Sorry, A Christmas Story). We spent many hours with our friends. We Skyped and talked with family. We snuggled in bed under warm covers. We had a blast playing with the guinea pigs we are taking care of, and the dog (good old "Uncle" Charlie) we are taking care of. We crunched through the frozen snow and admired the winter wonderland that comes so rarely to Portland.

Merry Christmas!

*I imagine future generations laughing at me for this sentence.

Suzanne got an odd marble-based version of Connect Four from Santa. At least it's made of wood!

Elizabeth got a wooden travel chess set from Santa. Our neighbor boys, the Swans, were eager to destroy our girls on the battlefield of the chess board. Both of them are former chess club members. 

Elizabeth loves her mermaid pillow. When you stroke it, the scales turn from teal to purple. Just like a mermaid...?

Barb received a really cool and very old cookbook based on Long Island recipes. Even if she never makes a meal from it (fingers crossed, I don't think I like sweetbreads), it's an interesting read.