What are these strange sensations of joy and generosity?

[rebecca_in_blue]

Over the weekend, Rebecca finally managed to find that elusive thing people call "holiday spirit." It wasn't easy. Yes, I was one of those fools who waited until the weekend before Christmas to go shopping. Traffic on the roads was horrible, and so was the scene inside Target! I did manage to find nice gifts that didn't put me in the red (including a ball-in-a-cup for myself and a little something for Toys for Tots) but by the time I left the store, I was ready to strangle the life out of every crying child and every arguing couple. UGH!

So to recover from that, I spent Saturday and Sunday evenings at my mom's house -- making my bacon & eggs candy, wrapping presents, and shaking the ones that were already wrapped under the tree and labelled with my name. Adam and I couldn't agree on a movie (he refuses to watch The Goonies, and I refuse to watch It's a Wonderful Life) so instead we watched old Christmas episodes of Roseanne, King of the Hill, and 3rd Rock from the Sun.

I don't know if I've ever explained what my bacon & eggs are. I use this recipe, only I prefer yellow Reese's Pieces over yellow M&M's. There's no cooking involved, and they're the only thing I'm really good at making. I made a ton this year -- enough for all my relatives, and I also hope to bring some to temple on Friday to eat with the latke dinner. I think I'll call them "kosher bacon & eggs." Haha.

Me: Pretends to cough while making bacon & eggs: "Don't worry, I'm being very careful to cough all over these." Adam: "Well, be sure to give the ones you coughed on to Grandma." Haha. I taught him all the sarcasm he knows.

It's such a good feeling to be done with my Christmas shopping! (Last year, I was still frantically shopping and wrapping presents on Christmas Eve! Ugh!) Maybe now I can finally enjoy the season. This afternoon, I went for a nice bike ride, which I haven't done in forever, and I loved seeing all the Christmas decorations while riding around in a t-shirt and jeans.

Tomorrow begins my first Hanukkah as an official Jew!