Christmas 2010

Sunday, December 26, 2010
12:41am (again as if it were the previous day, Christmas in this case)

Slept in 'til 10:30. Carly's bedroom door was still locked, but I heard my parents stirring downstairs. Blessing of blessings, coffee was made and they hadn't drained the whole pot yet. Usually, they've consumed one in its entirety by the time I wake up here, even if that's 8am. It's ridiculous. Dad made pancakes for breakfast, and between everyone getting their showers and Mom starting a pot of vegetable soup, we didn't even start opening gifts until 12:30. I'm glad everyone kept their word to be a little lower key than usual about gift-giving this year, because I, for one, am broke and couldn't afford to give much. Still, though, I think everyone got something they really liked. My mom got me a sweater and a jacket, both of which I have to take and exchange for a larger size. Dad gave me an Ecuadorian necklace and earrings set that I love very much. They're very much to my taste, and I think it's sweet he remembered a specific dress that he imagines them to go with. :) We watched A Christmas Story and worked crossword puzzles from about 2-4. Then John came down, and my parents gave him his gifts from them. Erica came up, then Mam-maw, and Pap-paw. I was glad not to be asked to drag out my gifts to show this year for a change. It was nice to just sit on the couch, have a cup of coffee, and spend time with the family. Went to John's family's house. Exchanged gifts up there, John and I took his dog on a walk. Carride, of course McD's was not open on Christmas in NM, both of us came back here, had some vegetable soup and mom's homemade bread. John went home, I sat in the family room briefly with my family, and now I'm in bed writing this. Prob. read a few pages in my book and go to sleep. Another big day tomorrow with the Fox Family Christmas Party at Lori's. I better wake up with my game face on, lol. John's parents got me a new pair of weight lifting gloves, so I can hit the weights with those and get myself ready lol.

More reflectively, though... this Christmas has been going really well, even better than expected. No one in my immediate family has been overly-focused on gifts, so there hasn't been the mayhem of last minute shopping trips and frenzied wrapping. That always sucks so much energy out of me when I'd rather just be hanging out in my pjs eating cookies (Carly made several dozen to perfection today, btw.) and having coffee, watching our favorite Christmas movies. Also, I feel that the parents are making a different kind of effort to interact with Carly and me... sort of a recognition that college and living on your own for five-six years does make you a different person. I don't feel as pressured to be the same person they remembered six years ago, and that's infinitely calming. Probably, too, my perspective has changed. I've been working on a lot of things, too, I mean... really, really trying, and perhaps I've been able to give myself enough distance to look at things differently. One way or the other, I've just felt calm... not so whacked out as I usually get when I come home. So it's been really, really nice to this point, and I'm hoping for more of the same tomorrow. :)