We had a christmas luncheon at work today. We were served a yummy greek dish, homemade italian bread, and a salad for lunch. For dessert we had a cocunut cake thingy that we enjoyed while we did a white elephant gift exchange. We didn't actually bring the gifts; my bosses wife, who made all of the food for lunch, put together gift bags full of yummy treats. We then played the white elephant game with the bags of food. I first stole a block of hickory smoked gouda and a jar of sliced peppers. When that was stolen from me, I then stole a can of almond rocha and a box of minty milk chocolates.
The luncheon was concluded with an awards presentation, during which time I was given the "Santa's Favorite" Award. It said, "The UPS man about broke his back while delivering for "Santa" at the office. You must have been REALLY GOOD this year, but that comes as no surprise to any of us." The award couldn't have been more appropriate, because moments before I received it, there was another package delivered to me at work with Christmas presents in it.
I had to explain why there were so many boxes, and my response was that I have a mother who loves Christmas and who plans for it all year because she loves to see our reaction to the gifts that she has so creatively put together for us. I explained that the gifts we give within our family, while they may be plentiful, are all given with thoughtful expressions of our appreciation for each other. Of course we don't have to give material items to express how much we love and appreciate each other, and fewer gifts does (do?) not mean that we only appreciate each other a little bit that year. However, we get excited to let each other know that we thought of them when we saw a particular item, which reminded us of them; and more importantly, we felt they "needed" to have it.
I had a hard time explaining why there were so many boxes, but I guess that's part of the fun of being a member of this family. Some things just can't be explained or understood until you get to be a part of it. There's some extravagance weaved through our lifestyles and traditions, but it exists among people who care about each other's well being, who want them to be happy, and who will continue to stand by them through all of the difficult situations that life presents.
So thanks for the embarrassment and the opportunity to receive the Santa's Favorite Award. I know it simply means that I am thought of throughout the year, and maybe that I'm a little spoiled too.
Ryan and I wanted to thank all of you for the wonderful and thoughtful gifts you sent us. We really missed you, and I'm glad we were able to visit over the phone.
