Christmas Morning Part IV and V

hristmas Morning is the precious culmination of the entire Christmas Season. No, it's not all about the presents for me; as I've previously said, I also really relish the cookie making and decorating and the time spent reflecting on how to be a better person, but it is undeniable that Christmas morning is the moment all the preparation leads up to. It is the time when everyone near and dear to you sits together, bathed in the glow of the glittering tree and reveling in the final moments of anticipation before the paper-ripping orgy. Christmas Morning is when everyone finally sees if the gifts they've been so excited about giving really pleased their intended mark or not. As I've gotten older, as my family-members also aged, and as I added new groups of people to what I consider my "family"- blood relations or no- Christmas Morning has split up into smaller pieces. This year I had Christmas Morning five times!

Part I was traditional- in the early morning with coffee, my parents, and the stockings ALWAYS coming first. Part II- was at my grandparents' house, after Christmas dinner was served and devoured- with my grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins. Part IIIa & b- were when I went to M's house a few days after Christmas to celebrate with his family, and when M came over to mine to do the same.

And this year I even got Christmas Morning Part IV and V!

Part IV happened when I got back to my apartment after a week's absence and a week's held mail. (It's really easy to hold mail guys, the Post Office does it on their website!) My mailbox was literally stuffed with letters and a few packages from my wonderful friends. This was a very special Christmas Morning, because it let me feel close to dear friends that I haven't been able to see in WAY too long, and who are sadly way too widespread to have all at my side at one time!*

And so, I'll offer you a simple phrase, to kids from one to ninety-two: Thank You to all my correspondents at Christmas and since I moved out to L.A.:
To:

my bro, sis, and little elflings in the icy North,
my former kawaii roomie and future-life-saver in CT,
my bag-lady in MD (if bag-ladies' bags were usually full of crafting supplies and chinchillas),
my earth-saving superhero lately of DC,
my foodie historian, my magical/athletic/sparkling friend, and my dog-loving/cake baking cousin in the Old World,
my librsuperheroarian in NC,
my beautiful newly-minted nurse in AL,
my Navy-bride-Zumba-instructor in GA,
my parents, my grandparents, my former Orchestra teachers, my bouncy/giggly/wicked smart friend, my former M and his beautiful girlfriend in DFW,
my grace-filled math teacher in Lubbock,
my wise and giving newlywed friend formerly of College Station,
and finally my mathematical/theatrical philosopher, my pair of world-wandering stargazers/earth diggers/music players, my persevering bird-watcher, and my pair of van-driving/Mango-having/shoemakers in H-town,#

Thank You!
I can't wait to continue our practice of the ancient art of stamp and postal box in the New Year.

Finally, Part V was with M and myself, a week ago today, when we finally managed to get ourselves and our presents in the same place and the same time. M had to rush home from work to get Amazon boxes that had been held at the post office, and then we had Christmas Morning with each other.



So maybe having a Christmas Morning that lasts from December 25th to January 5th is a little unorthodox, and I'm going to shoot for a slightly smaller duration next year, but it sure worked for me this year!

* Yes I did steal the map idea from PLadd, even if I did fail to execute it quite as well she did.
# Feel free to scold me if I've forgotten you/anyone, I'm sure I didn't mean to!