10:25 p.m. | 2005-12-25 Christmas In December. I went to YoungerSister�s and YSHusband�s house for Christmas today. A few years ago, they discovered that I don�t do anything for Christmas in December and they started inviting me over. I appreciate that. Very much. I love ringing their doorbell because this always happens: (LittleNephew:) Momma, Momma! It�s Aunt Cruel-Irony! Can I open the door? (YS:) No son, wait �til I get there. You don�t know that it�s Cruel-Irony. (LN:) Yes I do. Momma, please?! It�s her, Momma, I can tell. (YS:) How can you tell? (LN:) I just know. Please?! Can I open the door? (YS:) Let�s look out the window first. (LN:) I told you, Momma! She�s here! Aunt Cruel-Irony! Aunt Cruel-Irony! (To me.) I�m gonna open the door. (CI:) Okay! (LN:) (After opening the door.) Um� hi. (CI:) Hi yourself! Look at you! (LN:) Momma! It�s Aunt Cruel-Irony! Look, Momma, look! (YS:) I see son. (LN:) No Momma! LOOK! (YS:) Why don�t you show her all the presents you got? (LN:) Wanna see Aunt Cruel-Irony? I got a LOT! Wanna see? Commere! (CI:) Not so fast, Red Rover. (LN:) Red WHAT? What�d you say? (YS:) She called you �Red Rover�. Ha! (LN:) DON�T CALL ME THAT. (CI:) Okie dokie, Artichokie. (LN:) Stop it! DON'T CALL ME �ARE-E-CHOTEE�! (YS:) Ha! (CI:) Okay. Show me what Santa brought you. (LN:) Look here! I gotta a lot of stuff. Indeed. (We played for hours. And, just for the record, he calls me way worse names. Like, "wegombeme". It's all in the delivery, trust me.) It was a different gathering this year. Usually, it�s YS, YSHusband, LN and YSHusband�s Mother. Which is cool. I�ve always enjoyed that mix. This year though? YS, YSHusband, LN, BabyNephew, MyMother and StepMom. This is the first time that mix has been tried. It went great. I was quite excited about StepMom�s participation. Sadly, more so than MyMom�s. MyMom tends to excel at creating tension; StepMom is gifted with the ability to diffuse just that kind of tension. Interesting mix. The pinnacle tension moment? When MyMom and I were setting the table. Apparently, I placed the cloth napkins on the table incorrectly. Hence, YS and I received a impromptu lesson on proper placement. Proper placement is important in order to fling out your napkin before settling it, delicately, on your lap. Bahooey. MyMom was horrified at my lack of interest � and suggested that it was imperative that I learn this lesson in order to behave properly at the (supposed) formal dinners headed my way � which? HA!! YS saved the day with this: (YS:) Um, Mom� all those Miss Manners lessons? I think you took away a lot more than we ever did. (MyMom:) Miss Manners lessons? I learned that in HomeEc in high school. Didn�t you? (CI:) Um, no. I learned about marriage, ironing and abortion. Nothing, absolutely nothing, about the proper placement of napkins. And frankly? I don�t care. MyMom was appalled, of course. As much as she tolerates me, I am a heathen. StepMom? Much more accepting. She doesn�t know about proper napkin placement either. It was a good time though. We all got along and had a lot of fun together. It�s a weird dynamic though. MyMom and StepMom. People ask me about that especially since MyDad is no longer around (deceased) to play middleman, so to speak. It is a little odd. I wouldn�t say that MyMom and StepMom like each other but then again, I wouldn�t say that they don�t. MyMom seems to be very jealous of StepMom, and somewhat intimidated. She�s (MyMom) mad that my dad remarried, however, MyMom is quite civil. StepMom doesn�t really seem to know how to react. She tries a lot and does well. MyMom is, well, socially awkward. A lot. What I like about StepMom is that she is as sensitive as she can be but does recognize that MyMom has no clue. Anyway, interesting mix. And, I guess Christmas in December is over. As much as I enjoy this winter fest, it doesn�t seem as Christmas-like as Christmas in July. How ironic is that? your thoughts? seed flower