I join you during a brief lull in an epic Yuletide event. A long-divided East Coast family recently reunited, we've been cramming our houses full of people and our selves full of food and alcohol for going on a week, now; I am, by nature, a rather sober and private individual, so the crowds of cousins (some literally trying to pour shots down my throat), aunts, uncles, sisters, parents, grandparents and neighbours... leave me somewhat short of breath. This Saturnalian marathon culminates tonight in a blowout "open garage" party, to which my parents have invited just about every person they've encountered over the last few days, whether friend, relative, or random local restaurant patron. A single one of my mother's siblings is bringing twelve people. Twelve! We already have a houseful, at up to five to a bedroom... I hope these folks are bringing their own pillows. And a Johnny-on-the-spot.
This is the first year in recent memory that I have not given any wearable gifts. I love giving homemade presents, and this often includes handcrafted jewelry and garments; but this year, though I did a fair amount of knitting, I put not a stitch of clothing under the tree. I don't know why this may be, or that it's particularly significant, but I found it curious and thought I would share.
I put a lot of thought into all the gifts I gave--this year especially (money being tight), creativity and a personal touch was key--but the gift I am most proud of went to my youngest sister. My family has two standard (read: very big) poodles, a red and an apricot, whom Li'l Sis has missed terribly since she's been back in Ontario at college, so I knitted stuffed dogs for her to take back with her to her dorm. (Actually, I only had one completed in time for the grand unwrapping, but it was enough to get on with.)
As for the most interesting gift I received... Li'l Sis came out for Sister Bonding Time with Mi'l Sis and me at our apartment in Halifax, and, well, there's this tradition of "birthday tattoos" into which I was meant to be initiated in the summer (for my birthday), but there was too much moving around for this to happen. We were planning to get caught up on this while we were together, but we couldn't get time with the tattoo artist during her visit, so they gave me the gift of a piercing instead--and, in keeping with birthday tattoo protocol, each got a piercing of their own.
And now, as the holidays, the year, and my computer battery wind down, I wish you health, happiness and stylishness. Slainte!
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