Holiday wrap-up...

Somewhat fitting on New Year's Eve. We are back down in Portland after spending the x-mas holiday in Tenants Harbor with my parents. It was the usual crazy, slightly masochistic fun that all family gatherings should be...

We had our traditional lobster dinner on the Eve (10 people, as many dead crustaceans). This was followed by everyone getting night gowns/night shirts/pajamas from my Grandmother and, once changed, the annual reading of D. Thomas', A Child's Christmas in Wales. (Here if you would like a copy of Dylan his very self reading this wonderful classic.) I will not mention that after the boys went to bed, we all watched "V for Vendetta", because that seems a less than jolly flick for the Eve. On x-mas day, we had our annual roast beef and Yorkshire pudding extravaganza. We had special holiday poppers this year that had a musical theme. In addition to our wee paper crowns and jokes, each "prize" was a numbered whistle. After the meal, baton in hand, my mother led us on a variety of very poorly played (and off-tune) holiday songs...very funny.

The tree this year was quite exceptional...over 12 feet tall and very "open", allowing my mother to work her magic and show off her many, many antique and repo ornaments...blown glass to big pickles to strange feltwork...and glass bead chains that came over from Germany many generations ago. There is a smaller tree in the big bay window overlooking the harbor and the electric train and antique village (made by my great-great grandfather) was set up under it. Just beautiful and very holiday-ish for all.

Everyone got way too much...but I was the luckiest boy. The first image shows the 350ish pound circa 1850 guillotine paper cutter that was under the tree for me from my parents. It is in exceptional condition, much of the original paint/gilt work is still on it after all these years. I can now cut an entire ream of paper in one slice. It is, quite possibly, the coolest present I have received since my teens (the competition being a MacPlus in the year they came out). The only problem was the 350ish poundness of it...I nearly pulled several "things" while schlepping it out to the car.

The boys got matching jammies...this included the newest addition, my nephew Oliver who joined the family last November. The boys all had a great time. The older two looked pretty cool in their trains and had a great time. They (and the family, et al) got a Wii and, "don't Wii in the living room" jokes from their grandfather notwithstanding, it was a smashing success. I hate to admit how much fun it is and how brutally cool the controller technology is. Watching my mother pay tennis with the boys made the holiday...great fun for all.

Oliver proved that he is, indeed a proper member of the family my picking up a book and amusing himself during dinner with it. He'll be reading in no time...

Many books changed hands in many directions. Andy (my BiL) and Oliver and my two boys and I all received a copy of The Dangerous Book For Boys. The boys got many, from the new (and strange) Ripley's Believe It or Not to some good kids lit, to add to their ever growing collection(s). Suz gave me a hardback copy of Gaskell's, A New Introduction to Bibliography. I have already started it, in preparation for attending the UVA Rare Book School this coming year.

I have one last entry before the new year...a minor rant that I want to get out so I can start the year fresh and happy *laughing*. I hope everyone had a wonderful bookish holiday.