Another Christmas Post

And so this is Christmas...

As I previously mentioned, I'm not much of a fan of Christmas. There's probably some deep sub-conscious things going on that a therapist could put his kids through grad school on. Whatever.

Let's be positive today!

We opened our gifts early this year. Like, last week.

I was extremely blessed this year. Not just by the freaking AWESOME gifts I got, but by the people I have in my life to share holidays with.

This is America. I am 100% American white kid through and through. Let's talk presents.

When my sister and I were kids we had mountains of presents. Like crazy amounts of presents. The Christmas I was 4 or so, I got a Barbie Convertible I could drive around. And at 5am Christmas morning, drive it around I did. Through the house. Crashing into tables, walls, doors, etc. Probably making my parents very thankful they had 12 years to go before they'd have to deal with me behind the wheel of a real car.

As we got older the mountain of presents dwindled. Naturally, the older you get the more expensive/cooler presents you want. A lot of my Christmases tend to blend together and I couldn't remember one way or another what I may have gotten. But there have been some fantastic OMFG things in the years.

When I was 12, I got a Dennis Rodman Chicago Bulls Jersey. Bad ass.

I got a skateboard at 15. When I sprained my ankle learning how to do a trick, it was pretty much dunzo. It lasted the summer.

I am not too proud to admit that when I was 16 I got a whole shitload of WWE Action figures, including the TitanTron set where the figures' theme music would play when you put them on the display stand. SO COOL. I wish I still had it. I also got a light up Camel like you put in your yard's nativity scene. I was a weirdo for a teenager. I DEMANDED this camel. Its still somewhere in Michigan, rocking out in my sister's garage.

At 17 I mostly got CD's I wanted (I believe that year it was Finch and Jimmy Eat World) and clothes. The highlight of that Christmas was a framed picture of me and my dad from when I was 6. And my boyfriend at the time got me the complete series of My So-Called Life on DVD. Win!

When I was 19 I had my first Christmas where I lived on my own. I put up mistletoe and stockings in my house, but that was about it. That year I got a 25 inch television that we still use to this day. Amazing. I was so stoked. I still love the shit out of that TV. Sanyo is whats up, y'all.

My 20th Christmas was probably my favorite (until this year). We were having a hard year financially, but my mom made my whole year. I got the first six Harry Potter books (which I read within 2 weeks) but the most prized possession I ever had came that year. I got a 4th generation iPod Video. It was white and beautiful. I named it Betsy, and I was inseparable from it for the next four years (until some asshole stole it, but I digress).

The next few Christmases were low-key and I can't think of anything that stands out. My homegirl Sera sent me an amazing Christmas package last year which included a rockin' CD and the snow you can make at home. Making my first Christmas in Florida so it wasn't a snow-less one. ♥

This year, however. I hit the freaking jackpot. I got an amazing mixed CD and book. My big sister bought me LOST season six on DVD. My best friends got me The Complete Series (and movies!) of Daria, and Taylor Swift's "Speak Now" on vinyl.
But the biggest, sweetest of them all. I got my long-awaited and desperately pined over Record Player. Its the sweet kind that's in a suitcase and is so bad ass and awesome.
So of course, I immediately logged on and found myself a copy of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison on vinyl.

Best. Christmas. Ever.

I realize Christmas isn't really about presents. It's about the people you have in your life and appreciating the love and blessings you have in your life. To me, though, part of appreciating someone and what they mean to you is showing them you pay attention to them. Even if its something small like, "You always bitch how you don't have enough shot glasses, here's a novelty set of Family Guy shot glasses!"

While we're on the subject of presents, you have 6 months and 18 days left of shopping for my 26th birthday! Just kidding. Kind of.

I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas with your families and friends. I hope this Christmas is memorable, and you get that one present you've been anxiously awaiting all year.