I can hardly wait for tomorrow.  It’s Christmas which means a trip to see my a-family.

Mom will be making the traditional goulash.  Not because we are Hungarian, or that she has any idea what real goulash looks or tastes like, because she has some hamburger she needs to use up.  Yep, ground beef and tomato juice, all mixed up with some American Beauty noodles.  Yummy.

I’m feeling more festive all of the time.

Oh and yes, Mom will be getting her Jesus on.  She’ll sit and study her bible.  I’m pretty sure she was using it to prop up a leg on the coffee table when I was there Thanksgiving.  But tomorrow we’ll be treated to her version of the greatest story ever told.

Yep can’t wait for that one.

Dad will be trying to get the thirty year old stereo (that cost over $300) to play his Andy Williams Christmas record.  At some point he will be successful.  We’ll get to hear Andy wishing us a Merry Christmas over and over again.  Dad only has one record.

Ahh Christmas.

Of course there are gifts.  I especially like the inspirational fiction that my Jesus loving sister gives me every year.  She doesn’t just get excited about our lord and savior on Christmas, she has a personal relationship with her savior.  I think she sees these books as a subtle way to recruit me into the ranks of Christ’s army.  Maybe I’ll actually read one of those things this year, and review it here.

There’s something to look forward to.

I will try to make my escape as quickly as possible after the gift giving.  This will take a bit.  Convincing mom that I really just couldn’t eat another bite of goulash, getting my hung over brother-in-law to move his truck so I can get out, never goes easily.

But at some point I’ll be allowed to return home and sleep off that icky holiday feeling.

I can’t wait.