Getting (rather than smashing) their Christmas spirit

Yesterday, I had a challenging morning. The lights had to be hung from the front porch (our porch light is irreparably damaged and I am using Christmas lights as a way to make sure guests don't kill themselves as they make their way to our door) and other assorted things needed doing before the arrival of our honored guests, Jean Pierre and Marie-Helene. Things didn't exactly go according to plan. There are not enough strings of lights working (though they did when plugged in inside) to make it around the porch; I was having technical difficulties with our curtain rod; and when I moved the guest bed while putting on the sheets, I disturbed the FLOR, which then caused a chain reaction of FLOR buckling throughout the room! FLOR is great, just maybe not over carpeting.

In the midst of this, the kids decided to get some Christmas spirit. Gillen went out and cut down a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree (we weren't going to have a tree this year as we won't be here), and Jesse asked for some paper to write what may be the last letter that is ever written to Santa in our immediate family.

Looking back, this should have inspired me to get out the Johnny Mathis Christmas CD, make some hot cocoa and hug them both, while laughing, "ho ho ho." Instead, I responded like Scrooge to Gillen's constant need for help finding working lights and favorite ornaments. And I definitely didn't breathe first before commenting on Jesse's announcement that he was asking Santa for a Wii. I had FLOR to fix, and a shower to take, and a casserole to make and a toilet to give one last clean before their arrival, any minute... In the end, I killed my demon and stifled my need for the house and food to be ready (though I did clean the toilet:). Gillen succeeded in decorating his tree and I helped Jesse write his letter, making sure that he threw in some smaller requests to go with the big Wii one, in case Santa doesn't come through. In response to this last bit, I was forced into yet more of the spirit. It seems Gillen wants to give Jesse the Wii. He said he knows how much it will mean to him and he refuses to let me (or Santa) split the price with him. Well then.

Later that night, the tiny tree did collapse, but not before I saved the ornaments from breaking. We are going to get another tree - I am hoping we can talk Gillen into a potted live plant. We forgot to put those all important porch Christmas lights on the timer and they shone brightly, all night - me awake worrying that they were shining into the guest room and keeping the guests awake, but not willing to go under the house in the middle of the night to get a ladder in order to be able to turn them off! As it turned out, everyone(but me)slept beautifully. Nobody tripped on the FLOR or cared about the strange lighting or resented waiting a bit for the dinner to be ready. Scrooge has officially been put down for the rest of the season, though I am looking forward to a good night's sleep tonight. ;)