& to all a good night.

I sort of missed the "Merry Christmas to All" part, oops.
None the less, even a day late, I hope that Christmas was merry for you.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I was full of cheer.
Stockings were hung (and full of treats). "Merry Christmas" banners decorated my apartment windows. You could see my tiny tree twinkle from outside. I planned to watch Elf six-hundred and fifty-two times. I counted down the days. I shopped. I wrapped gifts. I shopped more.

And then, Christmas came and my Christmas spirit was gone.

The story doesn't quite end that way though. Despite a stressful week and nothing going as planned, Christmas is Christmas and I loved it none the less.

After working a busy lunch shift on Friday, I was exhausted and ready to be done with all the plans I had made for any Christmas events. I calmly declared that I was un-decorating that night and refusing to celebrate. After a hot shower, a steak dinner with my boyfriend, and perhaps most importantly, a Texas Roadhouse Sweet Tea (it was Christmas, after all) - my mind was changed. As Trevor and I scanned the aisles of PetCo for chew toys, I started getting excited about Buddy opening his stocking. At Toys R Us, we waited in line as the cashiers struggled to find a price tag and despite the obnoxious repeating jingle over the radio, and the overly bright fluorescent lights, I realized just how excited Aiden would be to open his gifts.

Perhaps I didn't realize just how excited he would be. It became clearer when he woke me up at 3:06 a.m., jumping up in bed and yelling "WAIT. Is it time to open my gifts yet?!"

My answer was "Most definitely not."
What I meant? "UGH. Go back to sleep. And quit kicking me while you're at it, too."

(My back is still aching from two nights of sleeping very little and doing so in the most uncomfortable of beds.)

My family isn't much for traditions. We don't take family photos. We don't add special ornaments to our tree each year. We don't order Chinese for Christmas Eve.. but somehow, it's become somewhat of a tradition for Aiden to open Christmas gifts in nothing but his underwear. Appropriate? Maybe not. But this year he at least chose holiday spirited ones in Christmas colors. For the first five minutes, we managed to laugh as he wore nothing but a Santa hat & matching underwear. Unfortunately, the hat itched and the photo opportunity had come and gone before I had stopped laughing.

  

But quickly enough, I was laughing again because honestly, look at that face.
How can you not laugh?

(He's a funny kid.)

While the plan had been to wake up with Trevor & Buddy on Christmas morning, things didn't quite work out that way. After a day of grocery shopping and baking quiche until one o'clock in the morning, my chef-extraordinaire was exhausted and not looking forward to an early morning. (And perhaps I would have been disappointed if that turkey, bell pepper, asiago & Gouda quiche wasn't so damn good.) I can't say that I was any less tired, myself. And the drive to Wellsville? Well, I was okay with only making it once.

But after building a gingerbread house with Aiden, having a sibling sleepover, playing Apples to Apples with my parents, playing Santa, waking up early, doing absurd amounts of Human Resources Management homework and having Christmas dinner with my family, it was time for the drive home and a five minute nap before celebrating again.

I'd like to say that it was a magical relaxing evening with cookies, presents, Elf and an early bedtime.
While there were wonderful presents involved (and wrapped well, too), I forgot my gluten free cookies at home and had to take an exam before bed.

Perhaps my favorite part of Christmas was that my boyfriend didn't mind laying in bed with me as I spent hours whining about winter classes, how tired I was and how much I wanted ice cream.

(He's a keeper.)

Over all, it was a great Christmas but I'm glad it's over.
I've had my share of ribbon, wrapping paper and crowded store lines for the next twelve months.

Unfortunately, while I've had my share of winter class homework too, I've got a few more weeks to go.