How many of you have seen the movie A Christmas Story? Well, I just saw it last night for the first time (I know, it’s shocking), and I’m going to blog about what happens at our house around Christmas time.
Christmas lists
About a month before Christmas, the phrase around our house uttered by the Reverend Mother is, “Kids! Get your Christmas lists written!” I always get mine written right away, but MD and Bonita have trouble getting theirs together. I wonder why….
Wrapping gifts
It’s a family tradition to wrap presents in Reverend Mother and The Old Man’s (a.k.a. Mom and Dad) room. So as we all vie for wrapping space, the words are, “-family members name- don’t come in here!” But after the hustle of shopping and wrapping we come to:
Presents
You remember that Ralphie wanted a Red Ryder Air Rifle, right? Well, my Red Ryder Air Rifle is actually a laptop computer that is perfect for playing computer games on. But, instead of it being “You’ll shoot your eye out,” it’s “That’s way too expensive.” Tthhpptt. Maybe ‘The Old Man’ had one as a kid….
Concerning the Christmas tree.
When we get a Christmas tree, we let it sit around for a few days before putting it into its little stand and watering it. It’s like the tree must face ‘The Challenge of Dryness’ before it can become part of the décor before it gets thrown out six weeks later.
Family from out-of-town
My Grandma lives in Oklahoma, so she stays at our house when she comes. An aunt and uncle and 2 cousins also live down there, so they will come to live at our house as well. But not this year, because they are going somewhere else.
Leg-shaped Lamps
We don’t have any leg-shaped lamps, thank you!
And, finally:
Christmas Day
At last, the blessed day has arrived! As soon as MD and I wake up, we bound out of bed and run downstairs to grab the stockings off of the fireplace. Then we run back up the stairs to the Reverend Mother and The Old Man’s room and open them. We bask in the glory of the Sacred Stocking Stuffers, then run down stairs to the tree. MD and I will fish presents out and give them to their respective owners, then we organize a little. We’ll take turns opening one present at a time, savoring the moments.
After the wonderfulness of opening presents, we rush to shower and clean the house, because the family is coming over! (They always come over to our house because it’s the biggest.) Around 1:00 people start arriving! We eat lunch, then more presents! After all that, my cousin and I will run downstairs so he can play on the computer (he doesn’t have any cool games of his own, so he uses ours).
I don’t have a weird aunt who thinks I’m 4-years-old and a boy, so no weird pajamas are in the present boxes. Thank the Lord for that!
Ciao for now!
That was a great movie. My absolute favorite part was when they were eating in the Chinese restaurant and they brought out the duck. To the whole clan—have a great Christmas.
I just LOVE that movie and asked for it for Christmas this year. I love the part where Ralphie is going to school in the huge “mummy” snowsuit.
Some guy actually bought the house that was used for some shots in the film, and has turned it into a museum. He spent about $500,000 in renovations, if I recall correctly.