The Ever-Expanding Christmas Gang

The ever-expanding gang of Christmas celebrants around our tree continued its growth this year. (Though nothing can top the arrival of Don's newest grandson on Christmas Eve last year!) Because the group is large and unwieldy, excursions from one branch to another are becoming the routine for Don and me. I'm happy to pass the hostessing baton, but there is still much cooking, cleaning, decking, shopping, wrapping, and delivering to be done--by us womenfolk. We busy ourselves with all that domestic fun while husbands loll in their recliners, watching football, asking (frequently), "What do we have to eat?" and (occasionally), "Are we ever going to have sex again?" just to remind us we aren't taking care of everything now, are we? ["But that would mean I'd have to quit cooking and cleaning up the kitchen for a few minutes, wouldn't it, Dear?"] I've assumed my traditional Christmas stance: men are lucky to live to see a new year.

This year as we gathered at my sister's house on Christmas Eve, 3-year-0ld Ella (dressed in the labor-intensive smocked Christmas dress) discovered the joys of clompy Buster Brown buckle shoes on hardwood floors. My baby daughter blossoms with the new life within, and I mused on the new little one who will join us next year. I despaired as my 80-year-old mother pouted over her gifts (not because we did too much, but because we didn't do enough). I cringed as my over-served brother-in-law monopolized the young man who will likely be a permanent presence around our tree by next year. I giggled with my red-haired niece whose freckles have melded into a permanent facial tan, as she teased Don and he lapped it up, being the sucker for little girls that he is. I basked in the lovelight between my older daughter and this wonderful young man she has brought to our midst, and I admired the David Yurman necklace he had placed 'round her neck.

Christmas morning I slipped off to see what Santa brought to Ella, only to find Other Grandmother hot on my heels. She took over the moment with camera flashing and self-congratulatory remarks that I listened to with clenched jaw. I managed to quietly and unobtrusively observe Ella's first and second Christmases, but it seems the group gathered around the tree at that house on her third Christmas has grown too, and the style has changed not to my liking.

Christmas afternoon found us at Don's daughter's house, sharing the day with the widening group of active grandsons, assorted aunts, uncles, and houseguests. The Christmas Eve baby was feted all week and his mother has wisely decided that when he's old enough for birthday parties, he will be having half-birthday parties in June!

I gave generously and received generously. I will have lots of $ to spend at Jo-Ann and my favorite LQS, to visit Chico's and Hecht's, and to pay a bill or two. But the best gifts were from Ella.

Her mother took her to the Dollar Store to choose presents for whomever she wished as long as one of them was Daddy. She chose to shop only for Daddy, and PawPaw [Don] and Mam [me] (take THAT Other Grandmother). She's already learned to streamline the shopping process by selecting the same gift for everyone: rainbow Slinkies! PawPaw and I can't wait to race ours down the front steps. Her other wonderful gift was a piece of original art. I thanked her profusely and asked her if she'd made this for me. Looking dubious, she finally asked her mother, "DID I?" (It was a long time between execution [August] and installation [December], so she can be forgiven the memory lapse.) It already hangs in a place of honor, looking smashing on the new butter-yellow paint.

I guess stinkers will always be stinkers--there is no perfect Christmas--and the dear ones will always be dear. We were blessed that no one was missing from our group this year and it will be fun to see Who's New around the tree, same time next year.