Christmas stuff

All in all, my Christmas was very jolly. It was very very white too. We were dumped with snow, which was good, because only a spit of snow was on the ground when I went to bed. Uncle Jim had to stay overnight because of the snow. We had less presents than usual, but that was a good thing. With 9 people (and baby makes 10), everyone getting presents for everybody else made it a slog to get through all the gifts, especially since we open presents one at a time, from youngest to oldest. This year Mom had everyone write a wish list and put it in a hat, and then you only bought presents for the one you got, with a $50 price limit. I got Brian, who asked for video games and "surprise me". The only thing I ever see him do is play video games, so I had Reagan help me get a Gameboy game for him and then I bought a collection of Atari games for the Playstation, since he was too little to remember when we had an Atari. It didn't have Qbert on it, bitter luck.

I got a new watch and money, so maybe I'll be able to pay my tuition bill now. Emerald got a baby stroller and she didn't want to open anything else. Dad brought Mom a beautiful stoneware tea set from Afghanistan. The tea cups are small like in Asia. She loves it, but she's afraid she'll break it, which doesn't seem very likely. Then I finished off the night by reading A Christmas Carol. I think life would be worth living just to read authors like Dickens and Rossetti.

I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons they teach.
-A Christmas Carol