We Three Kings of the Household Are

Quiz for you, because I know everyone who isn't a teacher or student is missing school:
What are my most frequently repeated four words over the holidays?


A) Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays
B) Do you gift wrap?
C) Oh, you shouldn't have!
D) I'm NOT your maid!


For every Mom out there who chose D...we have a winner! Unfortunately, I have no gifts other than a chuckle at the shared experience. I started tinkering in my mind (dangerous, always) with the lyrics to We Three Kings of the Household last holiday season.


It helps with my sanity when I insert humor where I could insert anger. And really something about the holidays lend themselves to such intense emotions. We miss ones who are no longer with us, and we miss the relatives that we can't be with. We see commercials which promise the perfect holiday experience if we shop at their store, brew their coffee, buy their overpriced car...suddenly we'll have perfectly coiffed families in matching pajamas who, well, you get the picture already...


The reality is that I have little red balls on the floor where the cat, Elvis, managed to unstring part of the garland on the fake tree. Getting the teens out of bed isn't a problem...as long as I don't try to. And hubby actually told me that he and the boys prefer our home to going to a resort. All their electronics are here and they think it's very comfortable. To which I shot back with, "Well, I've always found locations that offer meal, laundry and concierge service to be quite enjoyable, too so I can see why you three love it here." See why a woman who can't hold a tune, hums her own song??


And yet, I took a bunch of old movies and had them converted to DVD's for my parents for their Christmas present this year. Of course there were Christmases from my childhood. As my parents and I sat there watching them,  they could remember buying the toy bazooka that my older brother got from the PX at Fort Bragg and my adorable robe came from Belk's. My baby brother and his son could trade places in a time travel scenario and no one would be able to tell who was who. Christmases of times past are perfectly preserved and so precious. I don't remember the arguments or frustrations, but I remember the excitement, the thrill, the food, and the love.


So in a few minutes, I'll start my chicken for my version of Momma's homemade chicken salad. Oh, and I need to let the sticks of butter start coming to room temperature for the cookies. And while all of that is going on, how about some homemade french toast, and the laundry room is right here so I might as well start a load of clothes...because no matter what the frustrations are - family, family, love, love...Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.