The day after

Christmas is now over, the gifts are unwrapped beneath the tree and snow is falling softly outside my window begging for the driveway to be shoveled. The gift-giving was fun as all my children were present. My daughter laughed when I opened an outside thermometer. "You like such old people gifts," she exclaimed.

To some extent she is accurate. My gift list this year (which I only give out once prompted, actually prodded to do so) included warm socks, bourbon, a new remote for the garage door (as mine gave out eight months ago and I'm too cheap to buy a new one) and baked goods. I suppose as you get older baked goods are a very important step in the aging process. However, my daughter would someday like to open a cupcake bake shoppe. Why wouldn't I want some of those tasty morsels?

The older I get the simpler I need my presents to be. I have nearly everything I want that wouldn't be considered an extravagance. I don't want anyone buying me something they couldn't or shouldn't be able to afford. If I want something that badly I'll get it myself. The simpler presents are the best as they come from the heart and not actually from the store. My family together watching my grandson, his brother and the kids tear through packages makes the whole morning. Top that off with sharing those moments with My Beloved and that's all I need for Christmas.

Hope all had a wonderful Christmas morning. And, a hearty happy birthday to The Stache on his momentous day after. I always thought he got shorted a present every year to make up for the birthdays but I could never prove it.

See ya'll in '11.