Phew

Can we all just breathe a collective sigh of relief that Christmas is over? Let me just go on record as saying that I don't actively dislike Christmas. It's just that stores set up Christmas displays at Halloween, and Christmas ends up lasting two months. That means we end up spending 1/6 of our lives in Christmas Mode. And Christmas Mode is exhausting, with the shopping and the travel and the being nice. Just the cookie-eating alone might do you in.

So now it's December 26, and Christmas Mode is winding down. Oh sure, there's that whole "Christmas season" bit where people think Christmas lasts until New Year's, which I don't get because it's not like we're still celebrating Halloween on November 1 or something. Christmas ends on Christmas, in my opinion. And what about people who celebrate until Three Kings Day on January 6? Who are these three kings, and why are they making me eat so many cookies?

Anyway, my Christmas was good. We started out the day at my in-laws', where Nathan got some gifts to enhance his fighting hamster collection. I got some Star Wars pancake molds and a special pancake batter-squirter so I can finally make pancake letters! This will be a big improvement in my pancake-shaping, as up until now I have barely been able to master amorphous pancake blobs.

Next we went to my mom's, where Nathan got a Buzz Lightyear and a toy fireboat that was harder to assemble than a real fireboat. My mom had shipped some of our gifts before we left, so I should note that I am also the proud owner of a new set of Plum Fiesta dishes, as well as a santoku knife!

We actually aren't having Christmas at my dad's house until tomorrow, which I find very relaxing in spite of the fact that I said I didn't get into all that Christmas season stuff.