Kat, is that tea ring the same thing as a kringle? Gawd, I love kringle...

Here's something I have always wanted to do, and have never done it. This year might be the year... Awhile back, I read the Little House on the Prairie series. I had never read the whole thing as a child and Mister bought me the whole set. Anyway, in a couple of them, it talks about what they did for Christmas on the prairie, and how excited Laura and Mary were to get an orange and a penny in their stocking. A penny! Wow! One day I said, Paul, do you think my family would think I was all nuts if I got everyone a stocking with an orange and a penny in it?

He said, they already think you're nuts so you don't have much to lose.

The other idea was to get hold of some frankincense and myrrh and give that to everyone. (Anybody know where I can get some?)

I love Christmas but it tires me. There are a few things I would like to have, but when I get right down to it, I have everything I really need. I don't want my mom to buy me any clothes because she thinks I still wear a size 2 petite (which I have not in 15 years), or that I can get my average foot into a AA shoe. I don't want my auntie to get me anything because she is completely clueless. (I know the old adage about it's the thought that counts - but you can tell when there's no thought behind a gift.) I already have enough useless stuff in my house which isn't big enough to hold it all.

I like homemade stuff, personally. But my family members are not people who appreciate that type of thing, I guess because they grew up poor, and now they can afford Storebought. I guess it's a status thing.

Then we have to go and visit every family member under the sun. We have done this for 10 years. I am tired, tired, TIRED of it, I tell you. My brother once went to Key West for Christmas. Nobody said boo. Oh, it's too bad Terry isn't here, pass the butter, will you? If I tried that everybody would pitch a fit because I'm the Daughter and the Daughter is supposed to be good and sweet and do what her family wants. The Son can go wherever he pleases because he's the oldest. And Mister just HAS to be with his family at Christmas.

Me, I'm still dreaming of that spa in the mountains with the cute houseboy to feed me grapes...