christmas '12

Isaac won the Ugliest Sweater Contest. He didn't know there was a contest.

Isaac knows a thing or two about Christmas spirit. 

I think we could learn a thing or two from him.

Christmas celebrations this year have been pretty fantastic. Saturday evening was spent in Lexington with Mom's side of the family. We did our gift exchange, Uncle Bill fixed a kick-ass dinner as usual, and we spent the evening playing trivia games and taking shots. Mom and I always take a shot together, it's our Christmas ritual. Monday evening we celebrated with Dad's side of the family: the usual unbelievable Christmas lunch followed by a desert selection that filled the entire table left me feeling more than bloated. We exchanged gifts, took pictures, and took a dark and foggy drive through the country to a backwoods church where we watched a dramatic reading of a children's book and lit some candles. This morning Mom, Dad, Ams and I celebrated Christmas together. Mom and I fixed breakfast, we cranked up the fire (Dad just redid the fireplace into a stone hearth, it looks like something straight out of colonial New England, so you know I'm a fan), exchanged presents yet again, and Ams & I spent the afternoon working on our cars, because that's how we roll.

Most of my Christmas gifts were things for my car (new tires, new windshield wipers, a selection of new fluids, a cool windshield drapery to keep the frost off in these cold Ohio mornings, and new brake and tail-lights). I did gather a few new books for my ever-lengthening train of reading material: most were on the War of 1812, a little-known war in American history, a sort of second "War of Independence" with Britain, and one was on the French & Indian War (it's surprising how few books exist on that fascinating subject). My bookcase is filling up: my goal is to have three shelves lined with books on early American history, from the settlement at Jamestown to the reconstruction era following the American Civil War. After that, things tend to get a little boring for me. Just being honest.

All-in-all, a damned good Christmas spent with beloved family and friends.

Tomorrow it's back to the grindstone, a wonky early morning shift with Dave.

Who knows what the weekend will bring? 

Monday night Blake, Ams, Isaac and I will be kicking in the New Year.

And as for New Year's Resolutions... Well, we'll put that concept to the test.

So to all who are reading this because they have nothing better to do today:

Merry Christmas!

Yeah. It's festive.