Christmas VII, VIII, IX, & X

Sunday, December 26, 2010

The weekend had already been so long, and yet Sunday still seemed as if it ought to be only a Saturday.

Christmas VII — sort of. Church was still filled with poinsettias and a giant lit Christmas tree. That was enough to make it count.

During the service, Puck, decked out in his yellow wellies, droned through the Christmas hymns, tacking on an actual word here and there whenever he heard one officially pronounced…

“Mumble, mumble, mumble… day!”

“Mumble, mumble, mumble… joy!”

“Mumble, mumble, mumble…name!”

Back at the house…

Presents had already been opened Christmas Day. Linnea-Irish was sporting a pair of rounded British flag earrings and a Scrabble-tile-sized pendant for a necklace which read: Keep calm and find the Doctor.

The rest of the gifts were ready to be opened in the early evening together.

And Carrie-Bri had made giant bath bombs: bright green that smelled of green apple, bright sun yellow of some citrus medley, purple jasmine, and coffee, the last of which simply exploded in OLeif’s hand, all over the counter and floor.

But first, over to Grandpa Snicketts’ for Christmas VIII.

The Uncle Balthasar branch of the family had already mostly arrived, mostly. And Martha and Amanda and Eriic. Soon, all 35 family members were milling around the fire and the buffet of pita sandwiches. And gifts for Grandpa, including a digital photo frame filled with photographs, and Swiss chocolate. And Martha received a nice scarf.

Continued updates on the family…

• Brit, Lili, and the girls were still in Kansas City.

• Jashub still teaching in Columbia.

• Polly and Fernando still in Boston, Polly half-way through her PhD program at Harvard.

• Esther and Jude in Indiana, and Jude’s son was at 21 months old.

• Blessing was to graduate with her Masters from UMSL in May.

• Amanda and Eriic were considering moving to a home looking down to the Potomac.

And all the while, Puck and Liselotte ran around giggling together, climbing over and under and around everything and everyone in games of ‘hide and go seek’ and reading little books in quiet corners. There were no tears from any of the children during either Christmas. And everyone seemed to be doing well in the extended Christmas celebrations.

Then back for the gifts — Christmas IX.

Puck came away with a steam roller, Panda bento box, and a pair of Toy Story 3 footy pajamas. His jaw dropped and he immediately changed into them.

For Linnea, from OLeif: a glass hand to hold her rings. Francis just shook his head in disbelief.

“What? What is that for anyway? Why?”

For Francis from Rose: Storm Chasers, yet another season to add to his mounting collection.

For Rose from Collette: a photo of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

For Joe from Linnea: another CD of The Tallest Man on Earth and a bike hanger for his room.

For Carrie from Francis: a Tommy Girl perfume set with little red bag included.

For Collette from Carrie: a dark blue Tardis T-shirt. And from Mom and Dad: a pair of Victoria’s Secret jeans, and two great photographs of Yul Brynner.

For OLeif from Joe: an enormous Ansel Adam’s book, heavy enough to flatten a hefty-sized cat, and a coffee press from Mom and Dad.

And for Mom and Dad from all of the kids…

“Daisy, daisy…” Joe sang, coming up the stairs with the presentation.

It was, yes, a bicycle built for two. Just what they had wanted. And Joe immediately began explaining upgrades, etc.

And while Collette helped Mom and Dad set up their Sing Out Florissant Facebook page, a thing about which Dad was highly skeptical… but was so necessary to share all of the musical productions with the old members…

And in more news, another baby was expected the following July, Violet Gentle’s second.

And finally, the Christmas Doctor Who Special at the Silverspoon’s, as Christmas X.

Relevance and Kitts, OLeif and Collette, Carrie, Joe, Rose, Francis, Linnea, Magnus, Wally, Curly, (neither of whom felt inclined to participate), and Izzy.

Puck was spending the night.

Ginger beer and Jelly Bellies. And Kitts had made buttermilk pie and cinnamons pie crust scraps.

Followed with conversation on the whole wibbly-wobbliness of time and the four middle boys heading out to Wally’s folks’ for deadly video games.

All in all, a good Christmas. Ups and downs. Ups and downs…