Things I would like for ChristmaHanuKwanzakah...

This is shamelessly self-serving, I admit. However, my mother AGAIN told me how hard it is to buy me Holiday presents. Actually, she's becoming a big-time Jesus fan, so what she actually said was something about gifts to celebrate the Birth of Our Savior, spoken with caps and italics, like that, even. She keeps peppering her conversations with salvation chatter and I don't know what to say to her about it. Anyhoo...
I am the easiest person in the world for whom to buy presents, I think. Seriously. Just getting one makes me delirious with joy, so it has to REALLY suck in order to disappoint. The only time I was ever let down was when my mom neglected what I really wanted in lieu of too tight jeans to prove that I was getting fat and a used game of Clue from the Salvation Army that was missing the rope and the lead pipe from the little props section of the plastic organizer. Dammit. I'm still bitter about that one. Christmas, 1986.
Also, I got to mom (as a verb) last night. Dustin came over and I grilled him endlessly until he laughed about what he would want from Santa. It's the first time I've ever had the chance to give a kid some Christmas, and though my experience isn't the full-on parental version, I have to say that I GET it. I want a tree for him, singing plastic angels for him, stockings for him, shit on the windows for him, a train set, village, and ornaments for him. And I want to give him everything he could ever want. Wow, it's kind of like having Jesus in the house.
He wants a cell phone. That's pretty much it. But I got him to admit that a motorized Erector set would be pretty cool, although he wouldn't tell anyone he got it because 'the name of it is gay'. I was thinking on repainting and finishing his room, too, but that would just be harder for him to leave, and that's not what I'm shooting for. He wants some clothes, some games, etc. What surprised me the most was what he DOESN'T want, like a DS, a PSP, or a Wii. He doesn't want candy, or money or gift cards. The listing of all things that Dustin wants led me to make a list of my own this year, of basic easy things that tickled my fancy while searching around.

Here they are:

* In place of the THREE kitty calendars I got from idiots last year

* Something hilarious that will wear off in one week

* The thing I'm gonna buy if I DON'T have it gifted

* The thing I want from Santa

* What you'd get me if you were my new husband

* And after we'd been wed five years


That's about it. I have to quit gifantisizing and do some work. Have a good weekend, yo.

Thanksgivings

Holy Jesus on a Christmas Tree. I flipped right out on Saturday night. I am a jealous, jealous girl. I forget that horrible part of myself and then when I see it again, wow, am I disappointed in me. Whew.

Aside from that, Thanksgiving was again lovely, despite the fact that I am one of those people who is adopted by others for the major holidays. I always bring something nice, you know, like wine and Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Sugar-Pecan Best Thing Ever on Top, but I would really rather be whirling my own dervish at home with lots of people over.
My first Turkey feast was at the home of Junior and his lovely wife Carissa. God love them, it was their first one in the new house, and they just LOVE the Christmas, you know, so it was like Santa and Jesus threw up in there from a night of Nogging, and it was a delightful mish-mash of folks who work at the bar with us, family, and children. Lots of fun, really, and my first time as a sommalier for an event. Now, before you say, "Woo! Who's the hoity-toity wine expertinado, all of a sudden?!", let me point out that I am in NO way qualified for the job. I am simply MORE qualified than anyone else who was going to it. (And let me take an aside while I thank The Benson for learning me about wines, y'all. ) So, being as most of them don't care for wine, nor care to learn about it, I brought an easy Riesling, a frugal Liebfraumilch, both very well recieved, and a somewhat pricey Pinot Noir that ended up coming home with me, unopened. Good dinner. Marshmallows on the yams, but I just ate around it. Also, bright, hearty pangs of jealousy as a side dish, since my very best friend in the whole world is dating a very nice girl who is way bigger than most of the girls he usually dates and it has, somehow, made me decide that I am in love with him. That's a fantastic holiday subplot, if I do say so myself.
Thanksgiving Again was at the home of my adoptive Escanaba family, which is getting smaller and smaller. Gus' mom, her roommate Rod, and their friend Tom. I can't go into great detail on a public blog that is read by innumerable twos of people, but we had a homegrown meal, and I'll leave it at that. The best conversations I ever have are there, and they were aplenty, and then I went home, fat, drunk, happy, full, and other. Good times.
The bar was GROSS busy on Friday, and I missed out on half the Ladies Night Funfest, but maybe that was for the best, after all. (wink wink) I had $145 in my pocket on the way out the door, which made up for about 1/3 of what I spent like a madwoman in Appleton, mostly here earlier that day. If the Redhead doesn't flip out over her present, then I don't really know her at all. Oh, and this is my favorite thing I purchased.
I love spending money. Hate this jealousy bit, but I'll get over it. Happy Days After Thanksgiving.