[HPFGU-OTChatter] what's your Xmas look like?

[Sheryll Townsend]

--- Sharon Hayes wrote:

> Hi all, I am wondering what other people's Xmas is
> looking like.  Living in Australia, we are in the
> middle of summer and so it's hot, rainy, and humid. 
> For Xmas dinner we are having BBQ'd salmon fillets,
> sliced turkey breast, salad and champagne.  We'll
> lounge on the deck and after lunch take a walk along
> the beach nearby.
> 
> I am SOOOOOO wanting a white Xmas right now!!! I've
> never had one, and since a lot of you lovely people
> live in the northern hemisphere, I would really love
> it if you could post what you're doing and what it
> will be like. What is the weather like and what will
> you be eating and doing next Tuesday?
> 

Sheryll:

Snow? We've definitely got that here in Ottawa. The
storm here on Sunday gave us a record-breaking
snowfall for the month of December, a total of 37 cm.
And we added a few more centimetres to that yesterday.
What the weather will be like over the weekend is
anyone's guess, as the Weather Network changes the
forecast daily. As of right now, it's supposed to be 8
C on Sunday and pouring rain, -2 C on the 24th and
snowing, and -4 and sunny on Christmas Day. The only
bit that concerns me is the temperature drop on Sunday
night, as the rain may freeze and I have to walk down
a bridge on my way home from work around midnight.

As for how we're celebrating Christmas - well, it
depends who in my family we're talking about. My
husband and daughter will be spending Christmas Eve
with my sister's family. My parents will spend the
night there, too. My sister has 3 children and the
only house big enough for everyone to sleep over. 

Christmas Eve will be potluck, with everyone bringing
nibblies and they will graze for a couple hours.
Someone, in their infinite wisdom, will remind the
kids about the website for tracking Santa, therefore
guaranteeing a late bedtime and my not being there for
Christmas. No, I'm not a Scrooge. What I will be is
very, very tired and willing to stay up until
midnight. You see, I work 4-11:15 pm on Sunday, 8 am-5
pm on Monday and 11 am-7:15 pm on Christmas Day. 

>From experience with Christmas at my sister's, I know
that my husband and I will be delegated the kids'
playroom for sleeping, meaning no sleep until they go
to bed. It's also very cold down there, my sister has
a lack of blanket supply with everyone there. She's
also a procrastinator and, once the kids go to bed,
she enlists everyone to help wrap her gifts. And
stockings cannot be filled until the kids are asleep.
Last time, that was after midnight. 

I think I'm too old to keep those kind of hours. I
will come home from work on Christmas Eve, have a
quiet dinner and go to bed early. Public transit from
house is barely adequate, so I'll be forced to leave
earlier than usual for work Christmas Day and not get
a bus home from work until 45 minutes after we close.
Last year I took Christmas off work to make a family
trip to visit my grandmother. This year it's the
boss's turn, hence my work hours. Granted, we'll have
fun at work and OD on many tins of Christmas cookies.

Most of my gifts will be here for me, Mom is dropping
them off Christmas Eve when she comes to pick up my
husband and daughter and the stuff they have to haul
out to the suburbs. I'll open those Christmas morning
and have my stocking and the rest of my gifts waiting
when I get home Christmas Day. Everyone will have the
traditional turkey dinner out in the country at my
parents' place. They'll bring me lots of leftovers so
I can have my own dinner when I get home from work.

Not an ideal Christmas, but better than some. Three
years ago everyone went down to my grandmother's place
and I spent the whole week around Christmas on my own.
Sadly, I was so busy with work that I didn't really
care that I was alone. 

Keep in mind, though, that I love Christmas! My tree
has been up for weeks. Despite overnight inventory
shifts last night and tonight I'll be baking today and
finishing my shopping tomorrow (only 2 gifts left to
buy and a couple stocking stuffers). I have so many
pairs of Christmas socks that I wear a different pair
to work every day for the whole month. I play the
Muppets Christmas Carol constantly at work and will
have my annual viewing of Love, Actually while I wrap
gifts on Saturday. 

I just also like my sleep and prefer not to spend
Christmas day exhausted and trying to deal with masses
of customers. 

Sheryll, who really dislikes overnight inventories :)


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