And was it The Best Christmas Ever™? By golly, it was!

After midnight mass, we didn't go to sleep for hours and hours, but I woke up at 8.30a anyway and though that I could either go back for some much needed sleep or open my stocking under the gold tinsel tree on the table next to my head.

It was no contest.

First, not in the stocking but next to the tree was a stuffed snowman. An excellent addition to the seasonal decoration in the house! In the stocking there was a box of Aplets and Cotlets (yum!), several pairs of fun costume jewelry earrings (Mom says they are for shows, but I'll probably wear them in my life), a sunglasses holder-onner and a bag to put them in, several pins--a Christmas tree, a rhinestone NYC, and one that says "Hi! I Can't Remember Your Name Either!" that I plan on wearing to my high school reunion this October, a flashlight that you hang around your neck, and a Big Bag O' Trolls.

Mom showed me a Big Bag O' Trolls the other day and asked if they would be good for Kristen, but I said that she should give the Troll earrings to me instead! She flat out refused, and now I know why!

I went downstairs and peeked at the tree, waiting for Mom to get up. Didn't take long, even though Mom went to sleep even later than I did. Who can possibly sleep in when there are presents waiting under the tree!

"What would you like for breakfast?"
"Pancakes!"
"I don't think I have any mix."
"What?? But we always have pancakes Christmas morning!"
"We do?"

Sometimes, I'm the only one who knows what's a tradition. Ah well, a bagel and bacon breakfast was good, too.

Finally, the presents!

I got the bras and socks from Target (including a Christmas pair with toes and red white and green stripes), panties from Victoria's Secret (ten pairs rather than five, 'cause they were on sale and there were ten patterns in my size! Now I'll be able to pitch a bunch of old undies, but I bet I won't), a pair of overalls (now I can be an overall girl like Melissa and Kate!) a pair of blue jean leggings, a green voille jumper, four shirts like the black one I got for my birthday in green, blue, red and white, a black t-shirt from last year's Emmys, pink pjs with alarm clocks and stocking caps on it, a green Irish sweater, a pair of moccasins, three pairs of bike shorts, two pairs of Birkenstock socks (that were actually accidentally sent to me for my birthday, but Mom made me bring them back to her so that she could give them to me again).

Gotta have a new paragraph. Anyway, I also got two Campbell's covered soup bowls, a big appointment book and a little appointment book, a fancy heating pad, a carved wooden desk plaque with my name on it, a beautiful gold necklace with a tiny pendant that says 2000 that came in a Santa ring box (I was so thrilled with the box that Mom had to urge me to open it, I wouldn't have thought to), an Irish rosary bracelet, silver half hoop earrings, silver ball earrings, a cat's head locket, an Austrian crystal necklace and earrings, a Freedom Bag (for packing toiletries), and the books Intimate Universe, Are the Stars Out Tonight, and The X Files Book of the Unexplained.

The Academy videos that are still trickling in were The Empress and the Assassin, Boys Don't Cry, Anywhere But Here, The Winslow Boy, The Limey, Blair Witch Project (I think The Raccoon's getting me the DVD, but I don't mind having two copies!), Felicity's Journey, Midsummer Night's Dream, Tumbleweeds, and A Map of the World.

From my friend Teri I got a big Christmas candle, all evergreens and poinsettias, and from Melanie and her kids I got a bunch of themed gifts--a big stuffed hedgehog (from Rebeccah), a hedgehog Beany Baby (from Donald), a pair of hedgehog earrings (from Katherine) and James Taylor's Never Die Young (from Melanie herself). They are certainly my youngest fans! I imagine that they are getting quite a education in language!

And from my online friends were the cd Stay Awake from Beth, It's a Wonderful Life on DVD from Kim Rollins, Eddie Izzard's Glorious from Pamie, The Princess Test by Gail Carson Levine (part of the same series as Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep that Cynthia gave me and the wonderful Ella Enchanted that I got for Katherine) from Nice Reader Laura Helfrich, Ex Libris : Confessions of a Common Reader from Kristin, and The Hat, which is this cute little board book about a hedgehog wearing a sock as a hat with a stuffed version of said hedgehog in a sock from Melissa and Steve!

I am overwhelmed at everyone's generosity.

But what about PP and Bapa, I hear you cry!

Well, I opened that one last, slowly, thrillingly wondering what this special thing will be! It was a giant children's book called The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury.

And that was when I realized that it was probably a mistake.

So I looked at the packing slip, and it said "Merry Christmas Kymm! Here's to traveling, armchair and otherwise, Lucy." and the book that it said that it was Under the Tuscan Sun : At Home in Italy, which is what really confused me, 'cause I had gotten that from Cynthia from my wishlist, but I asked Lucy and she hadn't gotten it from my wishlist, but that just shows how clever she is since I sure did want it!

So I called Amazon and am returning the book for credit and I'm going to get the sequel instead, Bella Tuscany : The Sweet Life in Italy, because that's pretty close to what she got me.

But o that poor kidling who opened her present Christmas morning and got Under the Tuscan Sun from some stranger named Lucy rather than from dear old PP and Bapa! I'll bet her parents were confused!

Then Mom cooked and I tried not to fall asleep and watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a film that I didn't actually remember being 53 hours long, but apparently I was wrong. Mom commented that clearly they had fallen in love with every song and couldn't bear to cut a one, no matter how bad.

We had nothing like the turkey adventure as last year (what will I use for next year's Christmas card?).

Today's horoscope:
Justice, fair play and equality will be on the line today. Be true to your basic beliefs without downgrading other people's values.

One year ago today:
"Come home. It's too dangerous for you in LA."

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Christmas Cheer by:
Brittly!

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Last Updated Sun 26 December 18:25:09 1999