Merry Christmas - Davidson Style

Every year we have our family Christmas early because Sam and Lynnette spend Christmas in Texas. Early this year, we decided to spend Christmas in Orlando, since Sam and Lynnette would be in Texas. Then Sam and Lynnette decided to have a baby, due January 13, but we have reservations, so we are still going to Florida (except Sam and Lynnette, because Southwest is not in their birth plan). So, tonight was our family Christmas. And, as it has been in years past, it was not exactly a Norman Rockwell portrait. Here are the Top Ten Highlights of this year's Davidson Family Christmas.

1. The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. I had only decorated half the tree with half the ornaments this year. Then Maggie has managed to dislodge about half of those, so I think there's probably only about five left. At least it won't take me long to take it down.

2. No stockings. They never made it out of the storage box and onto the mantel. So nobody got anything in their stockings. Except for the mints and the two chocolate Santas and the brownie cutters that nobody wanted.

3. Lackadaisical gift drawing. This year we had five categories - entertainment, food, clothing, frame it, and regift. Some people didn't even bring their gift (for various reasons) or the gift was really indescribable. At least the gift receipts were included.

4. "Fly by the seat of your pants" recipes. Molly agreed to cook dinner this year. If you weren't bringing a dish of your own, you could trade with Molly and take one of her gift names. Sam and I took her up on it. Sam wanted Mammaw's dressing and I wanted Aunt Dorris's rolls. Mammaw is in heaven and Aunt Dorris has Alzheimer's and the recipes were basically "a pinch of this and a T or t of that" and listed weird ingredients (like sweet milk). But Molly did quite well and everything turned out yummy. And nobody has called with food poisoning. Yet.

5. Steve's office decor. Actually, this was not his own decorating - it was the result of the crazy person who came into his office sometime between last night and early this morning, brought a pitcher of coffee, and proceeded to pour it all over his desk, papers, computer, and anything else. There are no suspects and no other offices were "coffee=potted." Merry Christmas, you nutcase.

6. Missing the plane. Maribeth was to pick up Mathieu at the airport. But his flight left early and he hadn't checked in (long story not worth telling). He missed the plane. Maribeth has a hotel reservation in Atlanta. Mathieu has new flight tomorrow to Orlando. Maribeth has to drive to Atlanta tonight and to Orlando tomorrow. Not quite "over the river and through the woods."

7. Honeybaked turkey and ham. I decided to get a turkey breast from HBHam, since the one I got yesterday wouldn't be defrosted until New Year's Day. Molly said I should get a ham, too. Nobody wanted ham.

8. Molly getting locked out of her house. I was at the mall, exchanging cars with Steve so Maribeth could take his car to Florida and get an early start (she didn't). It was freezing cold and Molly needed to go to the grocery store to buy cornbread which I was supposed to have cooked this morning (I didn't). It was 4 pm and dinner was set for 6. Hey, at least I had turkey. And unwanted ham.

9. Butt calls. Sam gets a call at work. From Steve. Actually from Steve's butt that dials numbers sometimes on Steve's blackberry. Sam is yelling into the phone, but Steve does not hear him. But Sam hears Steve talking. Maybe Steve's butt poured the coffee in his office.

10. Pies - or no pies. Last week, Molly sent out an email to check on every one's favorite pie (she was in the pie-making mood). Nobody agreed on anything. So there were no pies. But there were three mini-cakes from the grocery store that Molly eventually went to after finally warming up. Nobody ate them.

So there you go - another Davidson family Christmas for the books. On to next year!!
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Things that make today great - Davidson family Christmas (and that's enough!)