Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

Contrary to popular belief, through my own doing, I am capable of being something other than a scrooge at Christmas.

Here's my traditional point form update of what we've been up to lately:

US:

-Learning more and more about love/respect/forgiveness/leaning/leading/following/growing/honesty/letting go and finally....letting God, than ever before.

-Taking it easy (as much as we can) this Christmas, and enjoying the time we spend together.

-Hubby has a new position, which provides much needed stability, and much more time at home.

-Wife is finally getting back on track with house duties, and finding her way back into the Matrix, but, still carrying the knowledge that comes from being unplugged ; )

DAUGHTER:

-Is now 9.

-Had an amazing birthday party with her little friends at the new Shaw Center pool, complete with TONS of swimming, cupcakes cookies and hot chocolate, and NO presents!!

-Got a Nintendo DS from two wicked awesome parents, who's hearts were deeply touched when she opened it, and cried!

-Is now at her other parents house spending the first half of Christmas vaca with them, enjoying the blessing of having so many people who love her tons.

-Is starting to enter into tweeny convo with me at bedtime, and I'm so blessed to be able to openly and freely talk, share and connect with her in those times.

THE BOY:

-Is the pure definition of Savage Monkey.

-Never sits still.

-Is always into something.

-Is talking up a storm, and guess what, never stops talking, ever.

-Occasionally throws himself into laugh attacks while in bed, with the lights off, all alone.

-Has been doing AMAZING waiting patiently for his "grimace pwesents" that have been wrapped up under the tree for weeks and weeks.

-Loves to help with laundry, and other chores, but becomes bored with them five seconds in and runs away.

-Is the cat's pajamas, and has this magical ability to be the cutest most sweetest thing in the whole wide world, which prevents his own death, most likely by mommy, on the days when she wants to throw him out into the snow.

THE END.

Looking for xmas spirit? You've visited the wrong blog.

Following in my tradition of bringing my anual dose of BAH!HUMBUG to my readers, I thought this year I would sum up in a list of 6 things, the reasons why, I'm a Scrooge at christmas.


1. It's commercialized.

They tell us we need to run around like headless chickens from store to store, spending copious amounts of money on this new things and that new thing, and guess what, we do. We roam around the malls like herds of cattle, doing exactly what we're told. Christmas decorations come out as early as September, flyers full of toys, catalogues specifically devoted to picking out all the new things you want but don't need. Commercials galore full of the latest toy of the week, turn my kids into brainless robots saying, I want, I want, I want, I want, I want.


2. It's not even Jesus's birthday.

Jesus was not born in December, not even close, and anyway, the Bible tells us to remember his death, since that's what He came to earth to do. Funny how the commercialism of Easter, the time to actually remember His death and resurection has been overshadowed by the easter bunny and chocolate eggs.


3. People get retarded.

People in malls, people in cars, people on streets, people at work, all retards. For whatever reason we all forget how to walk, how to drive, and how to be normal at christmas. We're all in such a rush and we're all under so much stress, that we stand in line annoyed, annoyed at the person in front of us, annoyed that there aren't more tills open, annoyed that we still have 50 more people to buy for, annoyed that it's cold, annoyed that we're spending so much money, as we stand there and listen to music overhead about joy and peace and goodness. Getting into the spirit of christmas? Please.


4. The spoiled brats of the world come out from under their rocks.

I'm disgusted as I sit around watching adults open gift upon gift, like as if they deserved it, just because it's christmas. One year, I heard someone say, "this year was good, everyone got a pretty good haul." Um, person, you suck, seriously. Some people don't even say thank you! Or they do, but it's forced and ungenuine. Go home.

People are filled with expectation at christmas, and I don't mean the good kind. People expect things, and then they open their presents to find something less than expected, us normal people can see it on their face, and there's nothing more unattractive.



5. People use it to punch in their family time.

But the difference between "us" and "them" is, I like to think family is the kinda thing that punches in the the time card everyday, or once a week, or heck, even once a month. But family members that don't even speak to you (or your kids) at all, then expect all this lovey dovey family stuff at xmas? Psh. Some people think buying my kids gifts once a year will mean they'll have a relationship with them in the future. News flash, not the way it works.


6. My daughter is spoiled.

My daughter has us, my parents, hubbys parents, my sis, my aunt, as well as her other parents, her step moms parents, and her dads parents..... all wanting to bless her. So, with her birthday being just one week before xmas, and her having a birthday party with all her little girlfriends, each with a gift, plus family birthday gifts, plus xmas? Spoiled spoiled spoiled. I hate it. And with 200 brand new gifts, you think she plays with all of them? No. I have to go through her room each year, give a ton of stuff to the Salvation Army, just to make room for 200 more new things to come in. It's retarded.

Obviously, I'm sure not EVERYONE is like this at christmas, I've just never met these people. But hey, it's a big world, I'm sure they exist.

Merry Christmas,

Love, your dear friend,

Scrooge.