As the next few days will be insanely busy, this will likely be my last post until after Boxing Day. It’s not that I won’t be thinking of you. It’s just that I must 
and 
and 
before the 
.
I am not what you might call a relaxed host, peeps. There are times I wish I could set aside my principles and 
just so I’d be 
by the time the guests arrive. Especially this year, when instead of being
, I’m more likely to be 
or 
because of undercurrents in the family.
Do you guys have undercurrents in the family? Ones that threatened to turn your carefully planned 
into 
?
I do. Almost every year I say, “never again”. I would rather 
than put myself through all that work again whilst dealing with “issues”. Then, over the course of the year, I forget. I become beguiled by the possibility of 
— in fact once captured in the Christmas of ’06 — and I cave.
But even before I can get to that stage of the holidays, I must get my children to 
so I can 
so that Christmas Eve, this can happen: 
.
That, of course, ensures that Christmas morning I’ll see 
, which in turn, pretty much guarantees 
later that same day. I love . And I love 
. Especially when I’m the thrower. 
But before I wish you all a Merry Christmas or felicitous season, or whatever you will call these next days of splendor, I have some art to share — babes in the manger, if you will. Heterosexual women might want to close their eyes to the next image due to it’s clear and obvious message of sexual denigration and exploitation of the female form.
Now, for those of us who happen to enjoy some artfully arranged XY chromosomes, please accept the following :
And, should you be one of those unfortunate people with hayfever, never fear. I have dug deep for an image guaranteed to make you forget sparkly vampires for once and for all:
This is my first Christmas of blogging, Gentle Reader, and you have helped make it a merry one for this aspiring writer. So from my house to yours, may your holiday preparations move smoothly, your heart be filled with peace and joy, and the coming year encompass plenty of opportunities for laughter, love and… mischief.
Yes. Whatever you do, don’t forget the mischief! 
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I thought that I was going to become dizzy with so many little dancing green puff balls, but then you made up for it. Hayfever be damned…
Happy holidays to you and I hope you survive the family!
Laura, by now you guys know I’m all about the silliness and cheap thrills. 😉
Merry Christmas/happy holidays to you too!
You know I love Smiley Theater. 🙂 The haystack just looks itchy, but thank you for the Manful Pelvic Girdle portrait. I will enjoy it.
(Though the lights are giving him crazy eyes when they flash.)
He has eyes?
“Manful Pelvic Girdle portrait”. *snort*
😀
Nice! 🙂
I too will try to avoid becoming an axe murderer this X-mas. I think I’ll be successful….my parents aren’t coming!! Lol. Have a great Christmas, Hope 🙂
Donna, it strikes me that avoiding becoming an axe murderer is a singularly worthy goal. Good luck with that one. 😉
And merry Christmas to you too!
Mine virgin eyes! I am going through clothes to pack for vacay, and some of my fave May things are tight, so that first pic just makes me feel bad about my waistline. . . . the next two make me glad I am married to a dude with more self respect than those guys. 😉
And closing, Merry Christmas!!!!
(Is your bloggy not able to schedule posts? I wrote two weeks of posts over this weekend and scheduled them out over the days we’re gone. Sweet.)
Jess, uh…I’m actually kinda glad they have no self respect. 😉
As for the waistline, I hear you. In the new year, more veggies and less dip for we two.
Wrt blog posts, yes, WordPress would allow for me to schedule my posts in advance. Alas, that would mean both the need to write them and to be organized. (Like one of my critique partners, I seem to require an actual deadline to produce.)
I hope you have a most excellent holiday.
Excuse me, Santa? I’d like to add something to my list. The, um, guy in the Santa hat. And his brothers.
And did I mention I LOVE your emoticons?
Becke/Anya, a little inspiration for next year’s Christmas story, perhaps? And thank you. Me too. 😉
Hope, Hope, Hope. I knew there was a reason why I loved you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this post.
I love the pictures, can’t ignore a guy whose nips flash, but talking about undercurrents helped me realize it just might be normal to have a little disfunction in every family. And it really isn’t always my fault.
Happy Holidays!
Rosie, if you want to feel normalized, just hop on a plane to Edmonton, arrive in time for the Tofurkey, and I’ll introduce you to the gang.
But seriously — and I better state this quickly, lest one or two of them decide to read this post — there’s a little bit of crazy in every family. And I must be partial to our brand, since I volunteered to host.
Happy holidays to you as well
Well Hello Santa. Yumm. Is it too late to change my letter to you. I have one more thing I’d like to add.
LOL! Point taken! I’m sure it’ll make for another great blog, anyway!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night – or a good morning or you know, whatever:) woohoo!
Debbie, would this have anything to do with Yuletide logs? 😉
Stephanie, merry Christmas to you too!