Best. Christmas. EVAH.

[pegkerr]

Christmas was lovely. It snowed, making everything picture-pretty. We went to gatherings at my sister's on Christmas Eve, and to minnehahas' and to Rob's brother's on Christmas day.

I didn't say anything about this before because we were keeping it a surprise from the girls. My workplace surprised me two days before Christmas with an extra year end bonus because the firm had done so well this year. Extremely generous, running into four figures. Enough to put off the worries about the money running out for months, even if Rob didn't get this job. I started thinking: all signs pointed to Rob actually getting a job, and together with the bonus, our money problems looked to be at an end. The girls have been so angelic, and so patient during this difficult time while Rob was job hunting, pitching in around the house, helping clean the dojo, going without (new clothes, meals eaten out, etc.,) with nary a complaint. Why not do something really big and unexpected for them for Christmas?

And so we did.

On Christmas morning, after stockings, we had our special traditional breakfast. After we'd opened all the presents, we asked the girls whether they thought that it had been a good Christmas. "Oh, yes," they told us, delighted. "It snowed, and we got together with family, and we had our special breakfast, and we got everything we asked for." And they had. Rob and I had shopped very carefully, taking full advantage of the sales, and their Christmas requests had been very modest and reasonable.

"Well," we told them, "we're glad you think this has been a good Christmas, but we've decided to make it an extraordinary one." We handed them each an envelope and watched their faces eagerly as they opened them. I wished afterwards that I had the video camera rolling, but on second thought, perhaps it was just as well that we didn't, because the sounds of their screams of joy would have broken the camera's microphone.

In each envelope was a picture and a promise from their Mom and Dad for a new iPod classic.

They were truly stunned--Delia actually screamed so hard she eventually had to stop because she was getting dizzy. Fiona has been saving her money for a long time for one, because none of us thought we would be in a position to actually be able to buy her one. But we can for both girls now. With Rob's new job, we'll be able to get it at cost. And we'll have a lot of money left over to still pay a lot of bills.

Delia has been carrying the piece of paper around everywhere for the last two days, just because she can hardly believe it's true.

That was an awful lot of fun to do.

Over the next week, we'll be getting together a lot with my side of the family (we gather over several days between Christmas and New Year). Our Christmas season will end with our breakfast on Twelfth Night.

I hope your Christmas was anywhere as happy and blessed and perfect as ours was.

Comments

[haniaw.livejournal.com]

How wonderful that everything has worked out so well and you were able to pull off such a fabulous surprise for your girls. Awesome!

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

My grown daughter (when did that happen?) was home for the first time since I became an iPod owner and music enthusiast (she always was). We have had a wonderful time sharing music that we've discovered. She knitted me a sock to protect my iPod, and teases me about losing the cable.

I am still waiting for her to listen to the mix-CD I made her for Christmas and discover Heart Worth Loving.

[ckd]

That was an awful lot of fun to do.

I can only try to imagine.

Now, to import any of your family CD collection that isn't already in iTunes, so that when the iPods arrive you'll have music to load onto them....

[rosefox]

Oh, that sounds so wonderful! So many of my friends had miserable holidays; thank you so much for posting about how great yours was. I'm really glad things worked out so well for you.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad. I hope you and your family have a wonderful 2008!

[corinnethewise.livejournal.com]

That's so wonderful! It sounds like your girls certainly deserve their surprise and I know you all deserve the good luck of Rob's job and your bonus! I'm glad you had an extra merry Christmas.

[only-sound.livejournal.com]

All of that is so amazing! May this be the start of a fantastic new year.

[cryptaknight.livejournal.com]

That's fantastic! I've been following all your entries, and your family really deserves a wonderful Christmas. I'm so glad to read that things are going so well for you guys! Happy Holidays!

[lindelea1.livejournal.com]

Hurrah for the bonus, hurrah for the new job, and hurrah for you all, having made it through. Telling phrases: "shopped very carefully, taking full advantage of the sales" and "requests had been very modest and reasonable". Sounds as if you all learned something in the journey, and how lovely the reward sounds.

Happy New Year to all of you. Sounds as if it's off to a good start already.

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

That's gorgeous! I remember doing something similar to Rebekka last year and the feeling you get when seeing their faces.... it just doesn't get any better than that.

Merry Christmas :)

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

I can't help but think that knowing they have the sort of parents who would use that first extra money to make it an extraordinary Christmas, who would go without and clean the dojo themselves to keep their children in the karate classes that matter so much to them (while of course still being firm on things that matter and not letting them get away with being spoiled) is a big part of why your girls were so patient and angelic through all of this.

iPods are not that expensive in the grand scheme of things (of course everything is expensive when you don't have the money for it!) and I think there's a lot of character showing both in their pleasure with their Christmas as it was originally and in their screaming delight with this one added thing - I'm sure they have peers who can't be thrilled with one perfect gift any more. (One friend of mine was aghast to learn a friend of hers just gives her 16-year-old $500 every Christmas - and claims "it makes everyone much happier". I don't think so.)

[tassie-gal.livejournal.com]

Funny - I got an iPod classic from mum and dad the week before christmas becuase it was something I was lusting after and we grabbed one while we found it. It was part of my Christmas too. As a grad student its VERY much appreciated!

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

Hmm... Two things come to mind when you mentioned "Best Christmas Evah". First off is the year that Paul surprised me with a Christmas tree.

The other memory is from when I was about 10 or 11. We'd opened all the gifts, but then either Mom or Dad said, "Look at that tag on the tree."

It read, "Go down to the basement".

So we did, and there on the ping-pong table was an electronic race car set.

That was so cool!

And then there's maybe one of the most weirdest Christmases. It was December '69, about five months after my Dad had died, and Mom, Jeff and I were living with my uncle John and his family in Orlando, Florida. I got a chess set & Jeff got a basketball.

From Dad...

I remember looking at Mom, very confused, and she did a quick "shh", and shoot her head.

What in the world were they/someone/was she thinking??? I wonder if Jeff still remembers that?

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I'm so very happy for you and your family. It's good to see you guys come out of this tought stretch and find a time of joy. I hope the new year continues to be good to you all!

[serendipoz.livejournal.com]

Peg thanks for letting us into your joy for this Christmas, and the best of happiness for you and yours next year.

[metmamandy.livejournal.com]

yay for you and your family! i'm glad everything worked out just in time for christmas. :)

[elements.livejournal.com]

Peg, it's just so wonderful to see things finally going so right for your family. Merry Christmas to all of you.

[aome.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, the reason I didn't see this is, as I said in my own journal, I was totally AFK 12/26-12/28, at my grandparents' house. I've missed seeing you on the days I was online, so I'm glad I hunted down your back entries. I'm glad their reaction was so marvelous, and that your Christmas was so blessed. I hope it's the start of a bright and beautiful year for your family.

[mkaout.livejournal.com]

GAH.
update!

so happy for you and your belt!

so happy for you and Rob and his new job!!!

so happy for the ipods!!!

REALLY.
I AM

but ... I check two blogs daily... and neither has updated in 5 days!!!

ARGRH!