Holiday Weekend

My Christmas and Christmas Eve festivities were more pleasant than I had expected.

Christmas Eve, every year, my mom has the whole family (and various lonely friends) over to her house for dinner. This year, we broke a record, I think. Mom, Earl- the stepdad (I'll do a family recap, like Ally did, just to clarify), Debbie and Tom (my stepsister and her husband), Lou, Chris, Sammi, and Zach (My stepbrother, his wife and two kids), Linda (family friend), Pina and Frank (the neighbors), Alden, Irv, and I. That's 14 people, all sitting around the dinner table. The kids, Sammi, Alden and Zach, all sat at this little side table, and the rest of us sat around the big table.

My mom laid out all the food buffet-style, on the island, in the kitchen. It was all very organized and impressive. Mom's computer has been down for a week, and she's been bored, so she really put a good deal of effort into dinner. Turkey, ham, potato casserole, steamed cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa and sauerkraut, stuffing, fresh cranberries, mashed potatoes, glazed sweet potatoes, and this southern thing of Shelley beans, ham, and boiled potatoes. Poland and West Virginia meet. Debbie, Tom, The Mister, and I all normally congregate in the kitchen, and experiment on drink recipes, or swap recipes, or just drink till we're 'cheery', so that's always fun. The kids were running around having a blast, Sammi and Alden get along so well.

This is the first Christmas Lou (the estranged stepbrother) has been with us, in over 10 years, so I thought it would be awkward, but it wasn't. His girl is very cool, and social, and he went a long way to patch things up with his father, apparently. Things were nice, very nice. It was all festive, and fun, there was no drama or strangeness.

Went home, opened a few presents, and Alden went to bed. On Christmas Eve, Alden gets presents from us, a few things, mostly utility stuff, movies, underwear, a blanket, a couple toys, and the mister and I exchange our gifts. Christmas morning, Santa has arrived, filled up ALL our stockings, and brought the REALLY GREAT gifts, for Alden. It's always a blast, this year Alden got a stereo, and a few big toys, some CD's, more movies, etc.

After the presents were over, the mister made a huge breakfast, which we meandered through leisurely, while getting ready to go to Aunt Lynne's house.

Every year, since I can remember, Christmas Day has always been at Aunt Lynne's house, the same place we went on Thanksgiving. Great, relaxing day, excellent food (standing rib roast, roasted potatoes, string bean casserole, tomato pudding, etc etc and about 17 different kinds of dessert), and great company.

Today, it's snowing, my mom came over and monopolized my computer for three hours, because hers is down "and so many people are so WORRIED!" about her...*eyeroll* The mister is out working, because it's snowing, and Alden is in his room watching all his new DVDs. It's a good day. The perfect end to a the Holiday Weekend. Very chill.