a "family" Christmas!

I cringe when a certain percentage of folks who will declare, "I hate Christmas!"

When I ask them why they hate Christmas there are usually certain aspects of the holiday they dislike.

A lot of people hate 'shopping" and the whole present giving aspect of it.

I can see that.

I feel if you hate it so much -then, don't do it.

Life is way to short to be stressed out over it.

A lot of people hate having to go to family/company/ social events. Again, if it stresses you out so bad -don't go.

Some people feel the holiday times dredge up horrible memories. Perhaps a loved one passed away during the holidays.

Sure, I can suggest spend time with friends or take a trip but that is easier said than done. Some people don't have the money to take off some place or they don't want to spend time with friends fearing that they will be the third wheel at their family event.

I guess right now I am looking at Christmas time for me as if I am holding onto a hand full of sand. The grains of sand are trickling out between my fingers and I am trying to hold on to it.

Christmases over the years have changed. Not for the worse or better but they have just changed. It is because I have changed and the environment around me has changed.

As my parent age, I treat each holiday now as a gift and enjoy it for what it is. My brother has taken over the role as the holiday recreational director. He hosts Christmas breakfast. I find myself really looking forward to this. The food is awesome and I have a bratty good time joking around with the family.

He brought out the "infamous" santa outhouse. You press a button and of course, you hear all kinds of "bathroom noises" and santa saying all kinds of gross bathroom stuff like, "santa dropped a yule log!"

My mother kept saying, "get rid of that thing!" As you might guess, the more she complained about it the more the kids kept pressing the buttons for more raucous toilet humor.

This year's Christmas theme was "family guy" stuff. The kids got "family guy' trivia games , t-shirts, pajamas etc..

(*"Family guy" is a crude adult humor cartoon)

The family guy board game was horrifying. The grosser the better!

One of my favorite gifts was something my nephew made me. He has been making these duck tape wallets. I know it sounds odd but it is a new craft project that young people have been getting into.He made me one with a velcro claps with my name"Auntie fish" on it. When you turn it around there was a picture of a troll doll! I love the fact that he researched on the internet the perfect troll doll to make this wallet "custom" for me. How cool is that?

Even my father got a good chuckle out of the "troll wallet".

My father suffers from Parkingson's disease. It is a devastating and treachous disease. Some days you are getting by and on a turn of a dime, you are incapacitated. Despite all of our goofing around I kept one eye on my father to make sure when he got up from his chair that he didn't fall or trip. He did Ok but he was very unsteady and his speech was off. In spite of everything, I think he had a good time but he was exhausted.

However, who knows what next year will bring.

I just hold on to these holiday get togethers like sand clutched in my fists hoping to hold on to as much as I can.

I think that is all you can do.