Merry Christmas!!

For the secularist:

There were the shopping trips for "just one more thing," milk and cupcakes for Santa, and the Christmas tree that threw up from all the "love" sent by relatives and friends... Emily and Jake had a great morning opening each and every present they could get their hands on. Emily is familiar with the process and ripped right through her boxes so she could get busy playing with her new toys. Jake was not so ambitious. He wanted to "opie" all of his gifts, but would get sidetracked playing with each one as it was unwrapped. Every so often, I would have to convince him to open something else. Eventually, all was opened and one more bright Christmas morning was transformed from anticipation to a memory.

For the sentimentalist:

Long after the eggnog is gone and the fruitcake is tossed, I will still be opening my gifts from you. Every one of you who is reading this is my gift. Your time and friendship and love are the greatest gifts you could have given me this year. I want to thank each one of you special people for being in my life. I hope that I have been as great a gift to you, as you have been to me. Thank you for being my friend.

FYI... To all of you who haven't received my imaginary Christmas cards yet this year, please know that they are not in the mail!