Christmas Is Over
@RichardMeister (5328)
Otis Orchards, Washington
December 26, 2016 3:15pm CST
Christmas is over and all the presents are unwrapped. The wrapping paper is overflowing the trash because it is deemed un-recyclable. All the relatives have gone home except the one who slept on your couch. He got too drunk to drive. Now he’s moaning and groaning about his throbbing head and loud noises.
You’re in the kitchen cutting up leftover turkey for a turkey omelette. You know for the next few days you’ll be eating leftovers from that sticking bird. There will be turkey omelettes for breakfast, turkey sandwiches with turkey soup for lunch and turkey lasagna for dinner. Leftover stuffing and mashed potatoes will be infused with turkey. Everyone will be sick of that damn bird before it’s gone!
But right now you are hoping and praying your hungover relative will gobble up a dish of your turkey omelette–which consists of more turkey than eggs. And maybe, just maybe, you can talk him into taking home some leftovers. Everyone else slipped away waving their hands in protest of your madding desire to get them to take a boatload of leftovers home with them.
Oh sure they were happy to come then tell you they were all on a diet and could only eat a small plate full. That, after you slaved in the kitchen all night and day to offer such a glorious bird.
Now you’re swearing to yourself that next year you are not going to invite anyone to dinner. You’re not even going to cook dinner. You’re going out for Christmas dinner. But then you swore that this year, and last year, and the year before, and the year before that.
Now everyone else in the house is waking up. There will be screaming kids playing with their new toys. Your husband will be complaining about it not being fishing season so he can’t try out his new rod. But maybe he’ll come out of the bathroom in a joyous mood saying his new electric razor you gave him for Christmas did a wonderful job. It was certainly a better gift than that set of pots and pans he gave you. Just once you wish he would surprise you with a diamond neckless. Men.
You know you’re the one that will have to remove the decorations from the tree and dispose of that fire hazard since your husband will be too busy with work. And you swear again that next year you’ll get one of those plastic jobs so you won’t have to vacuum the hell out of the rug to get rid of those stupid pine needles.
Oh, aren’t you so glad Christmas is over?
9 people like this
8 responses
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
27 Dec 16
No hassles between family members is a good thing.
2 people like this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Dec 16
I'm laughing my head off! 
This year, thankfully, things were a lot easier and organized (patting myself on the back). We told the kids the gifts would be minimal this year and that we would be enjoying a family Christmas vacation as our gift (we went to Disneyland for a few days). Christmas Eve we went out to dinner with the inlaws and we weren't invited back to the house - so all was over in a couple hours. Christmas we had a casual potluck type lunch (ham and ribs - no turkey) at my parents' and it was a relaxing time. Our tree and decorations are still up - won't be taken down til maybe next weekend and we will give the kids the task of cleaning it all up 
.
That being said, it was still hectic for a while there - that part I'm glad is over 
.1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
31 Dec 16
@RichardMeister Christmas did go rather smoothly this year. Negative niece and boyfriend were there for the Christmas Eve dinner . . . but luckily we were situated so I didn't have to sit with them - I didn't need to engage in a conversation with them most of the time (actually the boyfriend is a nice guy). I think she had better behavior, probably because the boyfriend was there, so she didn't shoot off her mouth as usual.
There is Disneyland - and now California Adventure next door. Both are pricey - and with the massive lines - all of Disneyland is not doable in a day - so that's why we chose 3 days. The kids loved it, and we went on all the rides with them, but I can tell I'm not the spring chicken I used to be 
.
Hope you had a good Christmas!
.
Hope you had a good Christmas!1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
30 Dec 16
Sounds like you had a pretty good Christmas. I take it negative niece wasn't involved with very much of your Christmas plans. I when to Disneyland back in the 80s, but only for a day. I'm sure I could have spent 3 days there and not get tired of my time there. Maybe physically tired from all the running around, but enjoying my time there.
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
31 Dec 16
@much2say That's good you didn't have any problems with negative niece.
When I visited Disneyland it was busy but I don't remember there been huge lines. But then I was there on a week day. I'm pretty sure I didn't see everything though.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
28 Dec 16
Most we know dread the holiday. Wonder why so many get involved?
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
28 Dec 16
@RichardMeister We know better when it comes to the ones who will always misbehave.
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
28 Dec 16
I suppose it's the dream that everything will turn out great no matter how horrible things were the year before. And you have to admit it's the one time of the year everyone is hopeful that their relatives will behave in a loving manner.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10782)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
No. I like to stretch it out as long as I possibly can. One day is just not enough. My outside decorations were up for more than a month, my inside ones were up for two weeks and won't be down until after New Years day. Our local weather channel will be playing Christmas songs until January 6 in recognition of Ukrainian Christmas. Finally all those Christmas cookies still have to be consumed. By now you have imagined that I like Christmas. I do, I do,
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
27 Dec 16
I'm a bachelor so I live by myself. I do not have company for Christmas so I don't even put up a tree. I go out for Christmas dinner with my brother and mother.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Dec 16
I suspect that all of us are glad, but this is a funny little post Christmas vignette.
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
27 Dec 16
Yes, it comes around every year.
1 person likes this
