<p>I predict drama at my extended family’s home turf. My nephew’s significant other has proven to be a huge drain on the entire family ( and they are about to celebrate the 1st birthday of their baby girl ) mother is not quite as bad as Casey Anthony , but not a candidate for mother of the year either.
Also, my oldest sister ( who is tough to be around ) will be visiting for the first time in a few years.
I predict a happy,peaceful and fun holiday at our home with a possible open house within a few days of Christmas…girls are putting the pressure on !!</p>
<p>I predict that at our Christmas Eve gathering at my in-laws’, someone will get no present and someone else will get two presents because crazy SIL cannot ever seem to remember whose name she picked in the draw.</p>
<p>The Celtics will beat the Lakers and my kids (HS Senior and College JR) will argue in the car on the way to the game.</p>
<p>I predict that once again it will feel strange for it to be in the 70s on Christmas day. In the morning I will miss the snow I grew up with and by the time I get done talking to all the relatives who still live up north I will be grateful I do not have to shovel it!</p>
<p>Just prior to sitting down to Christmas dinner my sister-in-law will enthrall all with another mean-spirited, emotional outburst. And then the turnips will be too soupy.</p>
<p>In the morning, we’ll have a very tame present-opening ceremony, and my older S – who holds things very close to the vest, like me – will look happy with his gifts, but then return them all the next day.</p>
<p>Later in the morning we’ll all walk with the dogs in the woods.</p>
<p>We don’t have family close by so for dinner we are going to friends who are inviting a medley of other friends. (I call us all widows and orphans.) My children (now young men) will pleasantly surprise me with how well they are able to converse with grown up strangers, and we will have a pleasant time. Christmas is not our holiday, but who wants to be without company on that day?</p>
<p>I’m going to come home exhausted after working the 'Eve at the shop and everyone will want to know when dinner is. Nothing is wrapped. My sons will stop waiting for me and decorate the Christmas tree.</p>
<p>Sooo… Let’s see how the predictions are holding up.</p>
<p>My tree never fell, which is a good thing. The cat knocked a couple of cheapo ornaments off of it, that’s all. She was much more interested in drinking out of the tree stand then climbing it.</p>
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<p>Except for the fact that DH took the dogs by himself, all was spot-on. Even S1’s returning of the gifts.</p>
<p>Kids did argue in the car on the way to the game but the Lakers actually beat the Celtics so I’m 50/50.</p>
<p>Well, the West Coast group arrived in good spirits (and tired and sore from over-50 knees being in a car for 3 days), so my prediction proved false.
Didn’t predict:
One of my kids having a major break-up with significant other (via email, what a creep)
Laughing with my mom until we cried.
Playing long distance Santa to my niece who found out we were holding on to her dad’s Flexible Flyer sled.
Having the bored guy at Alaska Airlines not notice that the box containing said sled was oversized - taking the $25 second bag fee and nothing more… saving my brother about $90 in UPS fees.
Playing Wii bowling with my 80 year old dad.<br>
How much heat a 50" plasma screen puts out (H and my joint gift to each other) but how great it looks and how much fun we all had.</p>
<p>lspf, the 36 hours was <em>round</em> trip. Basically we went the better part of the length of a coast, and back. Actually it turned out to be only about 32 total hours, we were very fortunate with weather and traffic. </p>
<p>Anyway the whole trip was a nightmare because my “seriously ill” mother became <em>very</em> seriously ill just before we left, was hospitalized, had 2 <em>major</em> surgeries last week, is still in the hospital… and may be coming home in a few weeks with Hospice care, since she’s been battling cancer for 5 years and it’s becoming clear her body won’t tolerate any more chemo. So DH and kids did the round trip drive, but I’m ended up staying at my parents’ for an extra week and will fly home. </p>
<p>UGH. </p>
<p>As for NEXT holiday season… well, over the past week I’ve given up making predictions and am beginning to learn to accept each day as it comes.</p>
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<p>Republican Brother in law chose to work Christmas (he is a firefighter) so we did not get the steam - but mother in law was insufferable with her gloating to the point where my father in law finally said something to her quietly to get her to stop.</p>
<p>In general, it was a great Christmas - and everyone had a blast… and my son returned only one of his gifts - an all-time low.</p>
<p>That’s rough, lafalum. Your parents are very lucky to have you there for support. Best wishes to you and your Mom – hang in there.</p>