Christmas Time is Here . . .

I’m getting ready for Christmas here at the Random Household.

I’m going to pick up my sister, L, at the airport in a couple of hours and take her down to my parents’ house, where she’ll stay for the next two weeks. We are trying to plan many fun activities while she is here – including a dinner at one of the local Ethiopian restaurants . . .

I’ve been baking sugar cookies all afternoon, while wrapping Mr. Random’s presents. Since he is still a 10 year old boy at heart, I usually give him a number of little presents, including the obligatory socks and underwear. Can’t he buy his own socks and underwear the rest of the year? Yes, but what’s the fun in that? Besides, it’s easier just to get him a bunch at Christmas and on his birthday – it’s just what we do . . .

Christmas Eve will be spent wrapping the presents for my family, making the usual sweet potato cheesecake, putting the ornaments on the tree, having a nice dinner of baked pork chops and red potatoes, then going to Christmas Eve services at our church, where the choir has 12 – yes, 12! – songs to sing. Then we’ll come home and listen to Christmas CDs (Ray Charles, Diana Krall, Charlie Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, and the fabulous “Ultimate Christmas Cocktails” jazzy 3 CD set) and have cookies and egg nog for a while. Before bed, Mr. Random and I will each open one present, usually from Mr. Random’s Mom.

When we wake up early on Christmas morning (because we are still 10 at heart) we’ll tear open our presents, ooh and aah, and then start playing with them for a while. Then I’ll make French Toast and Sausages and newspapers will be read. Then we’ll get dressed and make our way to my parents’ house where, with my two sisters and my parents, we’ll open more presents, hang out and talk and eat for the rest of the day and evening.

That’s the usual Christmas for the Randoms . . .

Faithful readers, I hope you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, and just Happy Being You!