The Smell of Pine and The Secrets of a Santa

So to add insult to injury about my dad's debocle with the Christmas tree I did something that (thankfully) ended up being really funny - I bought him those car air freshners that smell like pine. I thought it would be funny, my mom thought it was funny - and when I sent my son to give it to my dad, he thought it was funny too. But since its been rather chilly and we have had the heater on - it REALLY smells like that pine air freshner. Mix that with the smells of the bread puddings my mom is making - makes an odd aroma in the house.

Just heard my aunt and two cousins are driving up to spend Christmas eve with us - WOOHOO! Very exciting! My stomach is going to hurt from laughing so hard. The last time I spent the majority of the evening with them - the hotel we were staying at caught on fire. Needless to say - it was hysterical. Obviously we are hoping for a more low-key evening but at least this time we stay more on our toes about things.

SPOILER ALERT!! Please stop reading if you are too young at heart...There you have been warned.


So being a parent - you learn cartain "rules" about the holidays. The big one is the Santa rule. Now...I hate to admit that I lived in blissful ignorance about the whole thing until one day at breakfast when my parents so cruelly told us the truth about everything (the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny and yes...Santa Claus). So since then I knew the truth but a part of me still believed - and now seeing the joy in my son's eyes makes Christmas so much fun. I particularly like threatening him with him being taken off the list if he steps out of line - but thats a different story. Anyways - I went to buy his toys and have been hiding them all over the house and finding time here and there to wrap them. Last night I actually pretended to go to sleep and then I got up to wrap the presents. Lucky for me - I did it and ended up being able to chat with my friend overseas. Which quite frankly was a great present in itself. Back to the Santa thing - I'm wondering how much sneakiness my 3 yr old requires. I am wrapping the gifts in paper that no one else in this house is using so he cant put 2 and 2 together. But I realized this morning that I wrapped all the presents in "Santa" paper and now "I" am not going to have anything to give him. So I have to unwrap some presents and re-wrap. As usual, I'm probably over thinking it but hey, its what makes the holidays fun.

I'll probably post again later - but if not HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!