We made it through our Christmas (Sunday, December 19). Four out of five of my children, 2 children in-law, 1 boyfriend (he's a keeper, the day before he was cleaning out her gutters, unasked), all ten grandchildren and the old people (I mean us).
As usual I fixed enough food for a small country which allowed us to eat leftovers for the next week. I baked a ham, roasted a roast, casseroled two 9x13 of cheesy potatoes, mixed a huge macaroni salad, sliced and diced raw veggies, baked and decorated precut cookies from Gordon Food Service, crockpoted meatballs and chicken wings and welcomed an Arkansas green bean casserole, a charcuterie board, chicken gnocchi soup and cookie platter from my squad.
We tell the kids not to get us anything, but as usual they did. I did score a win with the grandchildren. It is difficult to remain fair and even when they are aged 2-almost 14, but I wrapped something and told them it was a combination Christmas-Mimi Camp gift. The teens and tweens were apprehensive, but once everyone opened a season pass to Cedar Point (an amusement park and water park located near our home), there were lots of smiles. Here is Gramma Mimi explaining the gift in ambiguous terms while the teenager pretends to be excited.
The adults are supposed to ONLY bring a gag gift with a gift card for an exchange. My daughter and son-in-law live near an Amazon wholesale or something and brought two unmarked Amazon boxes that you can pick up at the loading docks. They are crammed with unnamed interesting items. The winners had quite the time unpacking them. There were some very hilarious items. Lots of Halloween decorations, lots of knick knacks, lots of small stuff. One box had several trays that either fit on a stroller or wheelchair (we weren't sure), children's vitamins and pop-its. The other box had ten times the items which included a $50 microphone set coveted and awarded to the thirteen year old and a large selection of see through underwear. The boyfriend comic said the "L" ones must be for Ladies and the "M" ones must be for men. The kids were so busy with the pop-its that they missed the uncles hanging them out of my reach on my curtain rods. I am pretty sure they have all been removed - the minute they left.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we enjoyed the peace and quiet and each other's company.
We have been hosting sleepovers for working parents and overworked parents and have an unvaccinated two year old in a crib tonight while big sister went bowling.
For New Years Eve we plan to stay home and enjoy each other's company while snacking on a shrimp ring and more marinated chicken wings I picked up at our butcher's while I was there for Christmas.
Our county's covid numbers are through the roof. We have a police scanner and most EMS calls are covid-related. This has been another year to stay home and stay away from people. At this point I am not sure when we will feel safe venturing out.
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