imaginarycircus

We went to a family Christmas Eve and all I can say is that it was not as bad as the last time we went four years ago. Not my family, btw--this is David's extended family. There were two moments when I absolutely wanted to drop through the floor to anywhere else in the world. There was almost no food I could eat because no one ever remembers I don't eat meat and I don't like to make a big deal out of it.

Last minute errands wore me out today. David has a full stocking and a few gifts to open. I think I did a lot with very little money.

I've baked dozens and dozens of cookies which all turned out well. The caramel? I knew it was a problem when I forget to add some cream of tartar. And basically I made caramel flavored sugar cubes--or something between a sugar cube and fondant. I don't know. I'm sort of diappointed.

I'm so tired--but all wound up. We have to go to an early dinner tomorrow with other in-laws and mother-in-law's 93 year old father who is sweet, but very confused. I'm sort of dreading it in many ways. I wish we could stay home and be quiet.

Whatever holiday you're celebrating--I hope it will be lovely and full of good food.

When asked that question my five year old niece told Santa she wanted a "glass" doll--meaning porcelain. Santa took that in stride and turned to my almost three year old niece sitting on his other knee and asked her what she wanted. Her answer? "A bloody head."

No. Really. She asked Santa for a bloody head. For Christmas.

It took my brother in law a while to unravel the mystery. But it turns out people asked her what she wanted to be for Halloween for weeks and when Halloween was over they started asking her what she wanted for Christmas. When they were in a store around Halloween looking at masks there was rubber face with lots of fake blood--like a head wound. And she just lumped it all together.

Santa didn't seem to know what to say and just said, "Oh-ooookay."

Even better? My brother in law was in a toy store and happened upon a silicon head that you squeeze and red stuff comes to the surface--a bloody head. So he bought it and gave it to her and she loves it. She says it's gross and runs away and then comes running back and asks her father to squish it again.

On the other hand she also wants a porcelain doll like her sister got. But when she was allowed to pick out a present at the store to buy with gift money yesterday she wanted a rubber chicken. But not just any chicken--when you squeeze it a see through egg sort of pops out of its bottom. Which again she thinks is gross, but loves.