Pajiba

I got a european-equivalent snuggie. I am not thrilled. I actually didn't even get that, just a little note saying that it didn't get here in time, that it was on it's way.
I try not to let it get me down, I've been with this dude ten years and I *know* this ain't his strong suit, but every year I let myself get a little excited about potential books from my wish list*, Lush bath bombs, something sparkly and shiny and exciting that will make me jump up and down when I open it. Every year I take my time, start early, do a lot of thinking, and choose a few personal gifts for him which are always accompanied by something else which I have made with my own two hands.
I know from experience that bitching to him will only hurt his feelings, so I do thank you for the opportunity.

*I do have a wishlist. He thinks that's too easy.

My brother left Chicago IL Christmas Day at 5pm to go drive to Cincinnati OH (6 hrs). In the sleet. To break up with his Girlfriend of 4 years. Nevermind she just left day before. She was here for a week, going to their friends holiday parties, hanging out with the family, recieving $50 necklace pendant gift from me (his sister). EVERYTHING WAS JUST FINE THEN. Christmas Day right before dinner he just "Has to go... " Whatever stupid. You decide to brake up with her fine, why ruin our family dinner? It could not wait one more day?! We waited a Year to see you, then you just "Have to leave right now..." Hormones.

Christmas night I went to the movies with my boyfriend and his brother (who is 14 years older than me). I made a comment about the trailer we saw for Clash of the Titans, asking about it, sharing my own opinions, etc. It escalated to a screaming match between my myself and bf's brother because he decided that I was wrong about all my speculations and can never be wrong himself, even if we were both talking about entirely different things. I raised my voice to ask him to just listen to me, he halted the car and screamed at me to not yell at him in his car at which time, I told him he was a fucking asshole and was promptly kicked out to the curb to walk back to their apartment (thankfully we were already in the complex so it wasn't far). Through all this, my poor boyfriend is distraught because he's in the middle of a fight between two incredibly stubborn and hard headed people that he loves dearly.

I ended up apologizing for calling him a fucking asshole (even though I wasn't sorry) just for the sake of my boyfriend's mental health, so his brother wouldn't forbid me from visiting their apartment. But swallowing my pride like that was almost as bad as the fight itself. On Christmas Day.

It makes me sick that any man would scream at a woman like that and kick her out of the car, regardless of the the discussion, fight, feelings towards each other. I make note that I was calling him a fucking asshole at the same time I was being tossed out.

I'll pretend like it never happened and I'll be civil towards him but I will never forget it. I will never respect him because he has no hold on his temper and no means of admitting he may be wrong, or that he may even just not understand something.

It ruined my night. :|

I live outside of Baltimore, about 5 minutes from BWI airport. Since it was bad weather yesterday, I had five distant relatives call me up out of the blue saying their plane was canceled so they are staying the night. Noticed I didn't mentioned asked or begged...They just informed me. Even better, my uncle got pissed at me when I told him he either had to rent a car or get a taxis to get to my apartment (I have a two seat pick up truck...what the fuck was I supposed to do). So there I am, in my tiny apartment with an Aunt and Uncle that haven't said one nice thing to me in about five years, with their three hyperactive kids running around tearing up the place. Add in that they were pissed I only had beer and water to drink and no food (I am leaving the state tomorrow for 2 weeks myself so basically I had the apartment packed up and pretty empty of perishables). Besides, I had dinner at Grandma's about an hour ago with these fucks so why they were so damn hungry, I got no idea. So in terrible fog and a down pour, I had to drive to get them Chinese food(which my Uncle proceeded short me by giving me just $17 to feed him, his wife, and three kids...What the fuck?) and then listen to my aunt bitch that I got Chinese (what the fuck else is open on Christmas fucking Day?). Oh, and the little fucking monsters wouldn't leave my sick parrot alone until one of them got bit. And so I got to hear my Aunt rant that I got a dangerous animal and that my bird might have given my cousin rabies. My Uncle kept pestering me until I agree to let him and my aunt sleep on MY fucking bed (the three kids shared my two couches, and I got the goddamn floor on my own fucking living room). Oh, and I couldn't get them to go to sleep until midnight, which really pissed me off since they had to get to the airport at five in the morning and by this point, if they didn't get on that goddamn plane, I was going to murder all of them. And guess what, I spent the about 40 minutes trying to get these idiots up to make sure they made their goddamn flight. And my Uncle had the gall to badger me to chip in for the taxis I had to call for them. (Keep in mind, I am a college student so I don't exactly have a lot of money to blow). So after they finally left I started to survey the damage: one of the little shits clogged my goddamn toilet, I got drool stains on my couch now, and my fucking back (I got spina bifida so yeah...sleeping on a floor isn't the best thing for me) is killing me. So now I am repacking all my shit back up(one of the little bastards opened unwrapped the gifts in my luggage for my godchild I am visiting Texas for), dreading sitting on a plane to Texas since my back feels like mush, and I had to spend some of the cash I had for my trip on five fucking people that didn't even thank me for my force hospitality.

I detest about 70% of my extended family.

I've had an amazing, unusual stress free holiday.

This was the first Christmas Morning in 16 years I didn't have the children. They were at Dad's House. So I talked to the sexay boyfriend who is traveling until 2am, slept in late, woke up, drank an obscene amount of coffee with an obscene portion of Brie en Croute, took my dog for a gloriously long walk taking photos of the adorably decorated houses in my 1860's neighborhood, sent slide show to boyfriend, talked to boyfriend who agreed that particular house I love hard is probably lived in by giant dolls eating bonbons, made the dog incredibly exhausted and happy with his walk.

Then, I took a nap. I never take a nap. After dinner the kids came home and we opened more gifts, played with toys all evening, then before bed talked to awesome fucking Boyfriend again.

In addition, my mother and sister are fucking great and shifted our dinner to Christmas Eve, making this all possible. And their food was delicious. And my sister told me to kick whatever funds I had to spend on her family to the Universe because they are already blessed. So I did.

In Conclusion, I have awesome fucking kids, and awesome fucking family, and an awesome fucking boyfriend. Praise Godtopus that ye go elsewhere if misery is what ye seek.

Doric, if your dad doesn't know you're an atheist, what is he trying to convert you from?

my dad had surgery on his foot over the holidays.
and got MRSA.

I had a mellow Christmas full of eating candy and watching TV. Also, best gift ever: Elizabeth Gaskill Materpiece Theatre set with 3 separate miniseries: Cranford, North & South, and Wives & Daughters.

Aww, I'm so happy to hear about the good Christmases some of you had. (Yay for snow, Snuggiepants!) As for the rest of you, well, damn...sorry to hear it. But it's fantastic that so many of you can see the humour in the situation! Utah Dynamo, that just plain sucks--I hope your dad feels better soon.

Eh, mine was OK, other than finding out that my recently retired father decided to go out west to work in the new year. But he'll be home a week per month, so I probably won't see him much less frequently than I already do.

Oh, and Adahaze, I feel your pain--my husband isn't great at gifts, and like your fella, he refuses to use my handy-dandy bookstore wish list for inspiration. *sigh* But he's otherwise so sweet and thoughtful that I could never say anything to him. He did take my hint this year (a nice aquarium kit to replace my teeny-tiny setup), but I haven't been able to set it up yet because he forgot to make an extension for my little aquarium stand. Even though he had weeks before Christmas to do it. Argh! I want new fishies now, dammit! (Ah, there--impatient whining complete.)

My Christmas was perfect except for one small detail: my brother intentionally bought me the wrong edition of Coraline because he hates that movie and told me so when I opened it. I spent over $100 and took $70 in overage fees from my bank account (currently fighting and will win against a scam connected through PayPal, but I digress) to give him a Merry Christmas and he bought the $4 used single disc from Amazon. Prick. We'll see if I renew his subscription to the Marvel digital comics archive next year. I doubt it. And I should break his ceramic penguin I made him, too. Or repaint it to be a Giants fan, not a Packers fan.

Otherwise, phenomenal. I am the proud owner of Good Eats: The Early Years, Drawn Together: The Complete Series, a new stand mixer, and a three foot tall light up Mickey Mouse dressed as a vampire standing on a pumpkin. And cash money. I can make it rain again. Yay.

I want SaBrina's christmas. My family is driving me up the walls. Been packing all day for me to get dragged to France with them (it really is the lesser of two evils compared to spending NYE at home with friends who would again ended up being pissed off at me for years for not going out with them for it). I didnt even go out to watch the football. My Dad has managed to spend all dinner ranting at me for not being able to help him and drive him to France (I cant even drive) and for not helping him pack the car (which I actually did and then spent the rest of the afternoon looking for stuff he couldnt find in the loft).

Add this to a day yesterday where all people did was buy me clothes which I regularly ask people not to buy. Because they tend to buy me crap that is twice as big as it needs to be. Cue a debate about my dress sense which I admit tends to be boring and exist of wearing the same thing a lot. Nans, sister, aunts and mum chips in to berate me for not dressing well enough and not being interested in fashion. Ive barely said a word yet other than thankyou as everyone sits there telling me that I never wear that type of clothing theyve bought me not realising thats because I dont like that type of item. On comes the torrent of semi-patronising you are so difficult to buy for.

And here I am thinking I didnt want anything least of all this semi-abuse and your opinion of me couched in a sweater. A book, a DVD of a film or comedy, walking stuff, swimming stuff, a CD, Maps, something that comes in packaging with words to read, something I have to open heck get me a kinder egg I'll put together the toy inside and give you the chocolate. Just please not clothes I dress badly because I hate shopping, I hate thinking about how I look, I hate the utter headfuck of fashioning your own identity. I wanna wear a burkha but no you want me to wear a bloodstained velvet jumper or a long sleeved shirt that makes me look like a mime.

This doesnt even cover the crushing guilt I end up feeling days after for receiving presents from people. Add to that the guilt and anger that all of this makes me a navel gazing twat who has absolutely nothing to moan about and its a vicious circle of hate and paranoia with a 15 hour car journey with the accidental architects of this tomorrow.

Dont worry if you buy people clothes they probably like them Im just a fuckwit of a moody scrooge (almost came out as moddy)who doesnt know how good the hand he has been dealt is.

i wanted to talk about some good things that did happen. i got a Christmas greetings email from my new Russian girlfriend. that really cheered me up.

Kind of late to the party but: on Dec.22nd my 10 year-old daughter climbed up to the roof to retrieve some toy they had thrown up there. She stood on the clear plastic sheet of the sunroof and it gave under her, she plummeted face-first to the concrete floor 3 meters down below. She had surgery on her arm on the 22nd (2 pins in her wrist and 3 on her elbow, plus 2 broken fingers), and on her face on the 23rd (reconstructing her front teeth that were all smashed and shit). Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were spent in the Orhtopedic ward of the Children's Hospital, with a very groggy and bruised child, who still managed to smile through her broken teeth. On the meantime, my other 2 kids were at my parents' house, wondering if they were going to get any presents, since they were not home and their parents seemed to have forgotten about them. On the up side, I never realized how many people truly care about my daughter, until I received the dozens of phone calls and text messages, asking about her, offering to come and help. Still, it was pretty lousy as far as Christmases go.

Oh Cuca I'm so sorry what you and your family are going through, but thank God she can still smile at you.

Here's to a speedy recovery!

Thanks MSWAS! Yeah, the doctors were very amazed that she didn't smash her head in or broke her spine. The fall had all the components of a deadly experience. All in all, she suffered the least possible damage!

I hate how being a 20-something woman means winding up with a fuck-ton of body lotion every Christmas from those who don't know you well enough to shop for you and probably shouldn't be spending money on you in the first place. I know I sound ungrateful, but seriously, I'd be happier if these people just didn't waste their money! I'd prefer a simple card to a bunch of smelly greasy shit I'll never use that they spent their hard-earned cash on. Ugh!

All I want for Christmas next is for Bath & Body Works to go out of business.

....and I feel like even more a bitch for ranting about lotions of all things now that I've read Cuca's post. Sweet Jesus, what a nightmareish experience but it sounds like you've got a trooper on your hands! Here's to a swift recovery.

MB, I am totally with you on the bullshit lotion presents. These presents don't say "I love you," generally, they say "I have no freaking clue what you might like." Thankfully, I've gotten to the point where I don't have people I have to exchange presents with just for the sake of exchanging presents.

Wife presents were good. Coolest was a faux distressed t-shirt that says SAMCRO. Not going to explain that one, you either just went "SWEET!" or blinked curiously.

On the flip side her mother got me a t-shirt that says "Have a Mooey Christmas" and there is a picture of a cow on it. It's atrocious, and even better, it's a 2XL. I'm 6'1 and 180. I could use this fucking thing as a bed sheet. I also got a 6 pack of Sam Adams Winter. So, cup half-full?

The rest were a mixed bag but there was some cash at the end of the rainbow so that was nice.

Hope y'all had a nice time.

Original plans were for my whole family to have dinner here at my house on Christmas Eve. Me, the husband, our two kids, my parents, my three siblings and their SOs, and my niece and nephew. We also do a fun little $10 gift exchange where we have to buy two or three "little" useful things for each person.

A month ago my one brother suddenly asks me "Wait, is SHE invited?" Yes, our sister is invited. "Then I'm not coming."

Fine, asshole, FINE. We go through this shit every goddamn year because of this five year grudge you're holding onto and every year I fucking sweet talk and beg and guilt you into coming anyway, but guess what, this year I don't have the patience or fortitude to pander to your selfishness so fine, be here or don't!

Then I hear through the family grapevine that my other brother isn't coming either because the first brother isn't coming. FINE. Fuck you all.

Saves me forty bucks worth of gifts plus the extra food.

On Christmas Eve day my dad calls me and tells me that he called both the boys and read them the riot act and told them EVERYONE was going to show up and have dinner together for him and mom (he played the old "every year could be the last" card) and that was that.

Well that's great, Dad. Dinner is in four hours, I bought all the groceries YESTERDAY, and now I've suddenly got FOUR EXTRA PEOPLE SHOWING UP??? Holy christ on a fucking cracker.

Never mind the fact that my gift shopping was done a week ago and suddenly I have to have my husband run to the mall to get last minute gifts for all these jackasses.

On the bright side, they all played nice and my sister was even able to end up sitting next to my one brother at dinner and he didn't even get up and move.

And did I also mention that my oven decided to fuck up and take TEN hours to cook a turkey that should have taken six? *sigh* But that would be another three paragraphs worth of bitching.

All your twisted/horrific holiday stories make me feel bad about my annual whining about my "meh" holidays around here. You are all in my prayers!

My beau is maddeningly far away in NOLA right now, but at least I can crank the 2 disc Handel's Messiah he gave me. We're both history grad students, and joke about how the general population associates "history interest" with "books about the Civil War/WWII." Lo and behold, Christmas morning I unwrapped "April 1865: The Month that Saved America."
Mom: "I know you've said you don't know or care about the Civil War, so I thought this could help you out."
Me: "Oooh I like the cover design!" (Inwardly facepalm and regret not requesting pretty pretty art exhibit catalogues.)
But she also got me Remains of the Day so that helps.

@ Utah dynamyo

They don't. Hospitals do everything to not have to evacuate. Most doors are fireproof and are closed in the event of an alarm. My hospital abides by what is called "rescue in place". In other words, lock the unit down, sit tight and pray the problem isn't on your floor. If we do evacuate, it's almost always to another portion of the hospital, never to the outside. Sooooo planning on burning down a hospital or just curious. . .

I cannot bitch this year. My dad --who is diabetic, had his left foot amputated last year and has no toes on his right, has dialysis 3x/week, and was diagnosed with lung cancer 3 months ago-- was released from the hospital after a bout with pneumonia... just in time for Christmas dinner.

I don't care what I got, what we ate, or who was there. I'm just glad to have my daddy another Christmas.

Nurse Schools are similar, though probably not as hardcore. We have a shelter in place policy, except in obvious cases such as fire or extreme emergencies which require evacuating the entire school.

And hey, everyone with lotion issues: feel free to send all that Bath & Body Works lotion my way, I love it. As long as it doesn't smell like patchouli!

My entire immediate family planned to fly and drive from all over the United States -- Connecticut, Iowa, Chicago, Kentucky, and Georgia -- to meet in Florida for Christmas. My little brother and his fiancee were to fly down on the 23rd, and were stuck in Chicago due to bad weather (thankfully, they were able to stay at my dad's apartment instead of sleeping in the airport). They were issued other tickets to fly down on Christmas morning, but we found out their flight was canceled 1 AM Christmas eve/morning due to weather. My sister and I have never been without our brother at Christmas, and lo, there was copious weeping. Then, in the early morning, my stepdad tracked down a flight that was headed to Tampa that afternoon that hadn't been canceled, and they rushed to the airport, and got two seats -- first class! So, I got my little brother for Christmas, and it's the best present I've ever gotten.

Amazon Kindle: Check

DVD Box Set of Obscure French Films: Check

Worst gift gotten: Awkward tension between my father and grandmother and hoping to god no one was put up on Murder charges.

Hmm sorry to hear so much misery. I hope you all are feeling better.

Fortunately, I never have to see relatives, only immediate family only. Pretty fun overall, lots of gag gifts in particular.

After reading all the relatives trauma my bitch seems so little. But really, why do people bother to ask you what you want for Christmas if they're going to ignore you anyway. I'm broke and didn't really want to do the whole gifty thing. Nothing like being single. Everyone else buys one present and you end up buying a jillion. So, I asked for gift cards to bookstores and grocery stores. Instead I got ANOTHER antique poodle for my "collection" a plate some earrings and pjs. All of which is fine and dandy but really...the money would have been just fine. I do have one awesome Aunt who just sent me a check so at least I can buy food this week!
Even so, I love my family and really did enjoy spending time with my parents. Christmas is a lot less stressful when it's just us. When it's the parents, siblings and all their kids and spouses it's just waaaay too much for me.

Well lets see, First of all I woke up on Christmas Eve day to frantic text messages from Trouble that I WON THE EE! OK, I'll let that go. But Whee! Anyway, So after too many hours on Pajiba and FB chatting away and reveling in WINNING THE EE (oops I did it again) I put Ollie Dog in the car and whizzed down to the Rent's house. I got there and immediately started fielding puzzled questions from my Stepbrother as to "WTF is an EE", and "why are you so damn happy?" And "who are the pervs commenting on your facebook about it?"
So with that, Lindsey with an 'e' came to Christmas.
My actual brother said later that night: "Part of me really likes this side of you, and part of me is afraid!" Yeah, well Lwa'e' was on her BEST behavior, so yeah Boy-o, be afraid.
Then on to trying to explain just exactly why I am crocheting a blue octopus.
You read that right: I am making Godtopi. Line forms to the left. I accept bribes and sexual favors.
Eventually I had to show my mom the EE thread to demonstrate that I was not on drugs, that this Pajiba really exists, and it is awesome. She read dammitjanets EPIC poem, and decided that even though she didn't really understand it, any cult that produced a poem like that must be pretty great. So thanks again dammitjanet!
There was minimal drama, only some minor bad dog behavior, but since I am Beastmaster I whipped them into shape. Not Ollie, he was a perfect angel. Except when he peed on a bag of wrapping paper trash in the living room. (WTF?)
Christmas Day was uneventful, more food, more crocheting. I got home early enough to get online and play with the Pretend Internet Boyfriend, {winks at P.I.B.} and get my Pajiba fix.
Today was an actual unprecedented day out with the Actual Boyfriend and my good friends Heather and John. Heather and I got supplies for making aforementioned Godtopi while her hubby and the BF went to get their geek on at a gamer store. Nerds.
We killed 6 hours before attending the sold out showing of Sherlock Holmes on Imax.

We don't really do gifts anymore in my family, But I got 'An Echo in the Bone", the most recent book in Diana Gabaldon's 'Outlander' series. Yea! Since I just this week started re-reading the series, I will get to it about this time next year. Seven (7) 900pg books, Yikes. BF got me some Victoria Secret nice-smelly stuff which is what I asked for.
Really, the best thing I got this Christmas is all of you crazy fuckers. You have made my heart grow 3 sizes. I love you all. Some of you more than others. :-}

Lindsey with an E I read Gabaldon's latest just before the Cannonball read this year, so I don't know if I'll get to review any of her books for it. I did put Breath of Snow and Ashes on my list of top 10 books of the decade, and I wrote a bit of a tribute to her on that blog post. (check my link below).

Are you doing the Cannonball Read so you'll review it? I'll look for it if so. I am a HUGE fan of both Gabaldon AND rereading book series to get up to speed. I've re-read her books quite a few times. Have fun reading!!!!

Bullshit in-laws bullshit.

Invited over a month ago to dinner after church on Boxing Day (Dec 26th for those who just went "Huh?"). But they STILL pester us about coming to their house on Christmas Day. This would be mother- and sister-in-law (SIL just back from school in Canada). How about No, we're going to see your annoying asses all day tomorrow? Oh, they wanted to gives us gifts today because it's something for my wife and daughter to wear tomorrow? Because we've probably overlooked the fact that we need to be dressed to attend church? Is that what you're saying?

After church, I plan on changing out of my clothes before driving there, but wife informs me that MIL wants to take pictures of us first, and asked that we please bring a change of clothes to their house? Minor, relevant detail - we attend the same church EVERY FUCKING WEEK. It's not like "Ooh, it's such a special occasion to see you here at Christmas!" Shit - it's not even like we were dressed any differently than any other week of the year.

Didn't even play nice. Ignored everyone the whole evening.

But the coup-de-grace: five-months-pregnant wife asks me this morning if I'm even excited about this second baby on the way and if I even want to have this baby?

Holidays are shit.

Hi, Cuca my heart goes out to you and I hope your little girl gets better soon, she sounds like a little hero! God Bless.

CeeBee Im glad you got an amazing Christmas with your dad and I hope you have many more with him.

Diablo if I had been there I would have helped you kick those freeloaders out the damn door!

Our christmas was fairly good I was preocuppied with the fact that I havent been paid since october and am now so far in the red Im expecting bayliffs but hopefully that will be sorted very soon. The only niggles I have were familys comments about my weight (since when was a UK size 10-12 on a 5'8 frame overweight???!!!!) and the fact that my family spent the latter part of christmas dinner commenting on my oddly childlike hands. Yeah I have the hands of a 6 year old, small, dimpled knuckles, short fingers and palms. I was told I had freak hands, in fact according to my mother the only thing adult about my hands is my nail varnish.

So all in all my Christmas was good and if the only thing I have to moan about is tiny hands then Im blessed.
My thoughts go out to everyone who had a rough time and I hope the new year brings you everything you want.
x

/roars up in '72 with "sweet ass motherfuckin' T-tops"

S'all good, baby.

/checks mullet in rearview

You'll be at my place later, right? Bring groceries and beer. I'm gonna want a sandwich after I put it on your sweet, sweet ass.

/puts in new Foreigner eight-track

Whatever. I'm gonna be late for my shift at the video store. The fuggin' Roger is such a fuggin asshole. Later, baby.

/peels out to the chorus of "Dirty White Boy."

LWA'e!! Stop filming my life!!

also congrats on EE!! Wooooop!

kelsy: bless you, bless you! now I know what to get my dad for christmas! Whoever gave that collection to you deserves lots of kisses too.

And by "he" I mean my boyfriend. Who makes out like a bandit every Christmas.

SaBrina

Dad doesn't know I'm an atheist, just that I'm a non-practicing non-denominational christian.

But he ever since he stopped drinking and became "born-again" after my parents divorce, it's always been about "bring God into your life and then you'll realize how wrong you are and you can be just like me!"

I realize that he just wants the best for me, even if that includes my eternal salvation. But after 10 years of saying the same thing, it's getting old. It's like every time I stop by to visit, I end up getting a lecture of some sort about how important religion is and the implication that I'm very mislead by not going to church or preaching.

/shurg

Daddy issues are a common phenomenon in my family, it would appear.

{swoon}
I just love it when his mullet flows in the breeze.

Did a nice Christmas day with my mom and step-father... no drama or crap, just crosswords and pleasant talk on a lovely sunny afternoon. We made BBQ ribs and the husband finally joined us after his shift at the Inn he manages.

The night after we had a big post-Christmas party without drama as well, surprisingly! No cops were called as we played loud dance music till 3am. We also had a make-shift card filled out with well wishes to our buddy in the navy who's still overseas in the gulf. Roasted a 23 pound turkey just for fun and to feed the drunken masses.

Glad to hear your daughter's making a good recovery Cuca!
My Christmas was practically non-existent. I started back to college this year, doin a masters and had 4 weeks of pretty intensive work followed by exams. The day after my last exam I started on an eight day stretch in a music shop (This will be my last ever Christmas in retail, so help me God) and got home the night before Christmas eve. I love Christmas but my love is chipped away a bit more every year. My parents spent a large chunk of the 3 days I was home at each other's throats over anything and everything. My brother (who doesn't really get on with my mam and is frankly a bit of a dick at the best of times) got home on Christmas Eve and spent the entire time when he wasn't in the pub with his mates, snappin at everyone and taking out his barely bridled aggression on my mam. My other brother spent most of the Christmas drunk which prompted an argument between me and my mam last night at 2 in the morning about the fact that he needs help with his drinking and nobody has tried to help him with it (bearing in mind that he's only 22 yrs old). I spent Christmas night with the only other gay in the village discussing how tough life is for us small town queers, during which time I drank a bottle of rum and realised that I am therefore probably not qualified to talk about my brothers drink problem. (Insert jokes about drunken Irish stereotype here) I was so hungover the next day that I missed the annual night out with my best friends and had to get up this morning to get a train to go to work an hour and a half away. The train was delayed which meant that I was an hour late for work which was a pain in the ass given that I was only working for 5 hours today. So tonight, when I got home to my deserted apartment I had a serious cry, came on Pajiba and felt better after reading everyone else's stories. Except Cuca obviously, because that sucks, but thanks to all the Pajibans for once again restoring sanity to my hazy consciousness :D

Cuca, I hope your little girl will heal quickly. Thank God she wasn't hurt worse. Diablo, sorry to hear about all that shit with your family. I bitch about my family a lot to my husband and friends, but so far they haven't pulled that on me. Yet.

My Christmas was actually pretty good. I got a call from my manager two days before informing me that I actually will have a job next year. Thank the Lord. My husband and I stayed in town to do Christmas with his family this year, so not having to travel is automatically a big plus. On Christmas Eve we did our usual thing with his family - a dinner of lots of hors d' oeuvres so that no one has to cook real food. And, I made stollen. My mother-in-law is of German heritage and my husband remembers having stollen for many a Christmas growing up. So impressed the living fuck out of my mother-in-law and my husband by making two stollen loaves that fucking rocked. After dinner, my atheist husband and I went to Mass. We were going to try to make it to Midnight Mass, but since we're apparently lame and got tired, we decided to go to the 7:00 pm vigil.

Christmas Day was pretty good. We packed up our presents, took them over to my in-laws, and opened them there. It was fun and all, but I can't wait until we have kids and have a legitimate excuse to stay home to open our presents on Christmas morning. Anyway, my in-laws are sweet, so holidays with them are enjoyable. All in all my Christmas was good, just the usual family peccadillos that we all put up with.

Until they had to drive an hour down to the Daytona Beach area and an hour back to pick up my husband's grandmother (his mother's mother). Ugh. That woman is a mean old crone who enjoys making other people, especially her daughters, miserable. She also enjoys talking about her best friend's two sons that allegedly shower her with gifts and my husband's oldest cousin who, according to her, has the most wonderful perfect family in the entire world, emails her every week, and makes a metric fuckton of money. He actually does all that and is a very nice person, but it's not necessary for her to act like he won the awesome grandchild contest. It's just one of the many ways she tells my husband that he and his brother are her least favorite grandchildren. Her latest thing is wondering out what she did right or wrong to live longer than anyone else in her family (she's 91 this year). Her exact words, "And I'm still here, just hanging on." I swear, the woman is fucking pathological. Her hobby is moving from one place to another (she's moved 19 or 20 times since she and her late husband retired), when she's not moving she makes up a medical issue and has surgery for it, and she constantly guilts my mother-in-law about how little she visits even though the evil old hag keeps moving further away and my mother-in-law and father-in-law are elderly themselves and aren't up for long car-rides. Despite all the bitching I just did about her, she really doesn't bother me that much. I'm a nice person (really) but I've got a sharp stick and a bitch streak so I'll poke her back when she pokes me or my husband. What really bothers me is the way she treats my mother-in-law (her daughter) and my father-in-law. All they have ever done is be nice to her, including move in next door to her to take care of her in South Florida right before the mean old woman and my husband's late grandfather (who was very sweet) made move #8 out to New Mexico. There is no reason for her to be horrible to her own daughter but she is and it drives me nuts.

Let's see... about 6 months ago I was laid off and have been working a crappy low paying "just to get by" interim job in the meantime. Because of said job I didn't have the cash for A.) presents or B.) a plan ticket to visit my parents. Instead I spent Christmas sleeping because I came down with the first cold I've had in years. Hopefully it's not the swine flu considering I no longer have health insurance.

On the plus side, my new man came over and agreed to be my own personal space heater considering my apartment is very cold indeed. Mostly due to not having the heat on to save some ka-ching. Unfortunately, because of my gross germs all we did was sleep.

Ba humbug

I am a well known atheist in the family but that didn't stop my mum and my mother in law from giving me the "keep christ in christmas" lecture. My mum attacked me on the 24th. The MIL got me on the 25th. What the fuck is it with mothers?

Shiny, Zippy.

no not planning to burn it down it's just i once pulled a fire alram at school and i've been feeling guilty about what would have happened if i pulled one at a hospital.

Cuca,
yikes! Poor kid! I'm so glad she's going to be ok. Not a Christmas you'll forget, eh?

Holy Schnikes, Cuca... just read your post! Hope your daughter recovers well and fast!

PS. you know what I pajiba coulda got me for Christmas? Threaded comments. Seriously guys, reading these things makes my ears hurt.

Cuca, I was going to write "toddler + infant = holiday hell", but I feel like a shit complaining when you spent the holiday tending to your little one (who sounds tough as hell, by the way).

Cuca--

Just want to add my own good wishes to the rest of the crowd for a speedy recovery for your daughter. What a nightmare for all of you. All I can say in the way of comfort is what you already know--it could have been worse. I'm sorry for her pain but so happy she made it through such a debacle alive.

My own Christmas was a bore and I'm beginning to feel very thankful for that after reading some of the other entries here.