Just a few quick things about Christmas

There are a few things that have become Christmas regulars at our house.  You know those items that you haul up from the storage locker every year that really mean a lot to you?  Here are a few of ours.

Bubble lights!  Most people have a string of bubble lights that you put on the tree.  We only have this one.  I forget who gave it to us.  I love bubble lights because it reminds me of my Grandmother.  She had them on her Christmas tree when i was little, and i thought they were so cool.  My Grandmother has a polished vintage style about her, and these lights are a part of that.  The Professor had bubble lights at his house growing up, so he likes them too.

 Christmas penguin.  Oh what a story here.  A few years ago i was working night shift in the ICU on Christmas Eve.  We had all brought in food for a Christmas potluck.  It sucks working on the holidays, but because everyone is in the same boat, we make it special.  Alyssa had brought caramel dip for apples, but hadn't had time to get any apples.  Once all the patients were tucked in, she and i went to the cafeteria to buy a bunch of apples.  We swung by Starbucks afterwards to pick up drinks for all the nurses.  The guy working at Starbucks admired our apples.  Alyssa offered one to him but he refused, saying, "I love apples SO MUCH that i can't accept one from you because it's just too generous of a gift."  We persisted, "Dude we have 6 apples, you can have one."  He was so greatful that he gave us each a Christmas penguin for free!  (shh, don't tell Starbucks). 

Nativity Scene.  It's from Israel and it's made out of ______.  How embarrassing, i can't remember which wood it's made out of!  It says on the box, but the box is down in the storage locker.  Hmm.  Oh, olive!  It's made out of olive!

Christmas card from cousins Lare and Amy.  Depicted here are a bunch of Christmas cards.  The one i am referring to is the bottom right.  Lare and Amy live in Georgia and have the cutest kids on the planet.  They are our heroes, and we hope to be them when we grow up.  Every year we get so excited about their Christmas card.  This year it didn't arrive until December 23.  We had gotten so worried that we wouldn't get one!  We thought, "Did we offend them?"  or, "Did they fall upon financial hardship and had to cut the Christmas budget?"  But at last it came.