The day before the day before . . .

Hello I'm Tom, and I'm a Christmas-a-holic.  I have freely admitted to this both in clandestine after hours meetings in dimly-lit, but well-appointed, VIP rooms of electronics stores and privately during those Home Shopping Network self-help spots between special offers from the Tony Little Yuletide Gutbuster Extreme.  I must say it's not as effective when we're not face to glassy-eyed face with another Yule-Challenged individual who can feel your pain, however. I'm starting to suspect that some on-line sites, such as Ebay, do not have my best interest at heart, having sent me that replacement keyboard with the logo-ed, backlit button that bypasses all of the auctions and goes straight to the Buy It Now offerings (it did make it easier - until it wore out).  I know that if I stick with the meetings I'll get past this, but do I want to?   I just wish they'd take that commercial off where the son comes home and wakes the mom up making Folgers coffee; it makes my wallet loose.

Since as far back as I can remember I've loved everything about Christmas.  I remember "helping" my dad put up the big Santa on the roof of our house in Encino, CA.  The old fashioned, diesel generator powered, large bulbs that glowed so brightly on the roof line of our corner of Zelzah and Valley Vista.  I think we had those same bulbs for quite some time in Hawaii but finally had to replace them when the colors got so washed out that they reds were no longer discernible from orange from green and so on.  I still prefer colored lights to white, especially not those impossible white icicle lights.  And you better not ever bring me those solar-powered, weak-ass LED lights, either, or you'll end up with no Toll House cookies, my friend.  Speaking of cookies; don't they somehow taste better in December than in any other month?

And about that tree.  As much as I hate to admit it, we actually had a fake tree in Hawaii for a couple of years; I know, it was blasphemous then as it is now - and I'm vaguely ashamed.  I don't remember the circumstances of that all; the intensive therapy sessions have evidently helped me to block out the details of that memory, thank goodness.  I've always wanted to go out in the snow, cut down a tree, and drag it back to the house, but living near the beach in CA, that's a long drag - no pun intended.  I will do that at some point, however.

Now we are at the day before the day before, and I'm feeling very strong this morning after a bit of a sleepy day yesterday.  There's a ham in the frig for tomorrow night, to be followed by the annual screening of "It's A Wonderful Life," the Frank Capra, black and white version, of course.  One day I'll get the girls to watch it with me . . . so they can cry, too.  I know that movie backwards and forwards and yet I still get something special out of it each time. 

Tonight we're going to have a very special family over for casual dinner, with any luck.  Our two families have been through the meat grinder this year and have been each other's support. I'm looking forward to Christmas Day with the Nack family (Anne's side) .  There's never a dull moment there and I love them very much.  I hear Autumn is really doing up a feast, even as a shadow of her former self, so to speak - inside stuff - can't wait to see her.

I have so much to be thankful for this year.  Through all the trials, pain, frustration and anger of the last few months, there is still so much to be grateful for and hopeful of. 

I just wish they could actually get a live shot of Santa and the reindeer on that NORAD website, so I could buy the tape off of Ebay.