I should start by saying I have no idea what time or date it is. I think Christmas was a few days ago, and something about this ringing in my ears tells me it was a doozy.
I can tell from stubbed toes that my son made out like a bandit, racking up enough markers to keep his hands dyed green until his wedding day, amassing enough Matchbox cars to film the rest of the 132 Fast & Furious sequels in our modest Tennessee toy room.
I glance around to see what gift gold I’ve struck this most commercial of Christmases and see I’m certainly not empty-handed either.
A giant, gorgeous scarf my mother knit and knatted with for over a year. I call if the Shawl of Superior Love.
Jumbo, terry pajama pants in a subtle shade of neon blue with lime green frogs dancing down the legs from my dark-humored husband.
Quirky little Story People prints to dress my naked walls.
Fancy journals so beautifully blank and ready to be filled.
A pretzel from my uncle, bestowed upon me for my writing, which in some strange, low-budget way makes me an award-winning author.
A box of Swine Flu.
Wait. Which one of you sneaky boogers gave me that? Don’t be so shy. I just like to be thorough with my thank you notes.
I suspected my sister who’s known to dole out soap but followed the trail of massacred tissues and hacking to my guest room to find my one and only brother who shall remain nameless.
Beyond the bows and boxes (of goodies and TheraFlu, alike) I got the unique gift of cooking Christmas Eve dinner and not killing anyone in the process. I got to watch my fresh-brained toddler navigate the tricky road of holidays, at one point stealing a dog’s blanket to chase us around as the Ghost of Halloween, at other times accepting that this was Jesus’s birthday despite the lack of tell-tale cupcakes and back-yard bouncy houses. I got to watch the flurry of small feet chase, a chorus of small mouths scream big throughout our halls as cousins played Run & Scream & Tag & Stuff. I got to learn the special delicious deliriousness of NyQuil infused cranberry sauce. I got to look around the room watch my divorced parents chatting happily all five of their kids with all five of our kids cram and bend to fit into one tiny picture frame. It was the feeling of a brown-haired, snot-nosed Goldilocks scanning the cottage, spotting the purple, sprinkle-covered porridge that reeked of pepper and without hesitation saying “Yes. This crazy, dysfunctional, offensive bowl. This one’s just right“.
And as the holiday dwindled away, ready to surface once again next year, I dragged my congested, coughing face to bed, thanked God for those tacky frog pants that seemed to comfort my sick, sleepy soul, and almost drifted to sleep.
But! There was a gift that I had yet to share. One placed in my lap (inbox) so brilliant and shining before Christmas had come. One that I suspect let me take a Christmas with the flu and still see some miracle material hidden within it. A present that prepared me in just the right way to spot silver lining threaded into those heinous pajama bottoms, to look at their overall ugliness and know there had to be some point to them. It is a blow torch of a tiny spark.
Tomorrow I hope you’ll stop by for a belated holiday gift, a Tiny Spark share worthy of sharing and sharing, cherishing and re-gifting to everyone around you. A post-Christmas miracle packaged neatly in a blog post, this friend’s story is the exact inspiration behind the Tiny Spark Series. This gift I hope you’ll come back to open is THE Hallelujah Hat, THE Reason for The Season Series, THE lesson I hope contaminates your heart and spreads like a Joy virus.
All of this is to say, don’t come by my house without a bucket of bleach and a face mask but DO check in tomorrow for a post-holiday present that will light up your world.
Favorite holiday memories of 2012? Do tell…
Christmas cough? Holiday hack? Season’s sneezings? Fa la la la la la la la flu? So sorry. Get better soon!
My favorite (?) memory this holiday is the blizzard that blew in yesterday, and after it mostly passed we discovered that my brother had accidentally parked his car IN my FRONT YARD rather than at the curb, and that his car sank six inches into the yard (because it is brand new, and thus very soft, after the city tore half of it out to lay new sewer line in it), and we got to dig the car out.
Hahaha. Firstly, you are a champion of puns. Hilarious. Secondly, I am a little grateful for the flu now. Digging an entire car out of the snow sounds terrible!
Hey, I got sick on Christmas too. We’re the worst-time-to-be-sick-in-the-whole-entire-world people.
Right? I think I tempted fate when I did I celebratory jig a few weeks ago. Last year I had pnuemonia for a whopping two months around this time. When I thought I had finally, FINALLY!, managed to make it to Christmas without getting the funk I felt like a winner. I forgot to read Karma’s fine print, I guess, because this year I got it exactly on Christmas morning
Sorry you’re feeling crummy. Hope you get better soon. My Christmas Crud happened the week before so all of my plans for prep along with Solstice celebrations were a lot like your Christmas morning. I have much sympathy and hope the evil brother survives when you feel well enough.
Haha. My evil brother was Patient Zero. I think he got it worse than anyone else. That’s some Nature Revenge for you
I’m so sorry you were so sick. For a sicko all hopped up on NyQuil, you sure did manage to get a lot done. Glad you are feeling better, and I hope you have a wonderful New Year’s. Best moment? The fact that I’m in Florida and missed that big Noreaster yesterday! Whoo hoo! Here’s hoping the plow guy comes. Wait, we don’t have a plow guy. Hmmmm. 😜
Ahhhh, Florida sounds GLORIOUS. Are you wearing shorts? Is it creepy that I just asked you over the internets what you’re wearing? As I mentioned to Peg, this med cocktail has turned me into a cyber nuisance.Disregard all sloppy, slurred tweets and/or blog comments you might get from me over the next week.
Alas, it was not warm enough to wear shorts except on Christmas day — which was really weird. I’m home now and back to shoveling. Holy shizzlesticks. Not fun to come home to 20 inches in the driveway!
That transition is just cruel. You should’ve gotten to stop in each temperature zone and adjust for a minute. From warm to “My tots just froze and broke off” is not cool.
Po’ Baby! Wishing you a speedy recovery, pestilence be gone!!!!
Oh snap. Did I know you in my broke college days? Po’ Baby was a Memphis nickname. It saved me from getting shot a time or two and also sometimes empathizing strangers would hand me spare change.
Hope you are snot-free soon.
Thanks, Peg. It was a nice holly-colored addition to the decor, though. Perfect color scheme and all.
Ick. Also that was a disgusting response I just made. It would fall into some category three steps past TMI. Apologies. I think this NyQuil/ TheraFlu/ Coffee cocktail makes my honest come out.
I hope that pig flies and you feel much better very soon Ms. N!
Ha! Thanks. Yesterday was rather death like, so I think the worst has passed.
P.S. Now that I said that I will am asking for it. Universe will see to it that I get a special Round Two Bird Flu promptly
It is truly a bummer to be sick over the holidays especially if you are the mom of the house! I hope you feel better. It looks like you still had a lot of fun!
I think this TheraFlu is bringing out the bright side of my personality because I’ve yet to have the grumpy, crying fit about being sick. It’s all good… or at least something close to it!
I love it. Thera-flu has mood altering side-effects? I gotta get me some!
Ha. Try it out. Just don’t operate any heavy machinery
Neon blue IS subtle. At least compared to neon green or neon pink. It’s a tad less blinding.
Favorite holiday memory of 2012? Groping my girlfriend while my mom was taking the annual family Christmas photo. I’m classy that way.
Hahahahahahahaha. Did your mom notice? I just picture her looking at the photo, relishing the memories of family togetherness next winter and noticing your wandering hand for the first time.
There were about a dozen outtakes and I was goofing around in all of them. She didn’t notice until the next-to-last photo was taken.
Hahaha. You’re the holiday ninja pranker. Impressive.
Christmas is not as much fun when you are sick, but the reason for the season still is there, reminding us that there is still joy, still hope in the world.
Stopping in from Mama Kat’s…. Hope you feel better soon!
I was lucky to have SUCH a great Christmas with family that the flu funk didn’t bother me too much. Once all the guests left I let myself throw a snotty pity party
Sorry you’re sick, honey. It was a lovely Christmas indeed.
It twas. Also lovely? I think I’ve lost one million pounds. I can’t taste or smell anything so I just gave up food. If you don’t have the flu I think this is called an eating disorder but for now, I’m living on cold meds and tea!
Drink some chicken broth at least, Tori.
Hahaha. ARE YOU TRYING TO BLOG MOTHER ME? Ok. I’ll drink the broth.
I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s post as I am to all the remaining posts! ♥
And I’m still giggling about the “award-winning author,” not because that’s preposterous (far from it!) but because of the delightful context. All of this is a delight.
My favorite holiday memories are those of Li’l D playing with his little distant cousins, seeing him alternate between his hall monitor self (“That is not good sharing”) and his free-wheeling one (“Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeearrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaah, you can’t catch me! HAHAHA!”). So much sweetness in that.
And seeing that picture of my mom holding her niece. The memory of that first viewing is burned, beautifully, in my brain. Forever.
Ha! Thomas picks and chooses when to be the boss of all rules and when to break every single one
Convenient that way! The pretzel, despite its being a pretzel, felt like a prize so I was happy to accept. I’m pretty sure my nephew stole it as soon as I set it down 
Love your photos! Hope you start feeling better soon.
Already WAY better than yesterday. You can tell by my communicating with the outside world. The past few days I’ve been good for nothing but napping!
Feel better soon! It does sound like you had a wonderful Christmas despite being sick.
It really was a great holiday. Luckily I had a few days visiting with most of the family before the funk set in!
Looks like everyone had a great time! Love the pics! It always sucks getting sick around Christmas. Wait til your son starts school…..take stock in Kleenex now!
I’m already researching space suits he can wear to school!
I hope you are feeling spiffier as I type this, Tori. You look lovely in red, even in you didn’t feel so great.
I am noticing small steps towards functioning. For instance, I have not even once begged for death today.
Your photos just scream “one big happy family” despite (or because of) all the dysfunction that comes with it. Love it. You did take that extra drink for me, right?
How icky though, to be sick during this time of year. Stock up on sleep and plenty of veggie soup (or chicken soup if veggies don’t do it for you). Feel better soon!
Girl, I can keep a promise. I drank wine from a tiny plastic cup. Also learned that wine and cold meds aren’t safe to mix. Had a rather trippy evening
Gesundheit!
Feel better soon.
High five (Wait, you’re gonna want to wash your hands) for spelling “Gesundheit”. That’s tricky!
This Christmas and each of the births of my 5 children and 5 grandchildren! Especially nice my daughter Hayley re-surfaced so the entire family could “make it rain” love all over her. I am a blessed “poppi”!
Oh wow. You just incorporated “make it rain” into a holiday family sentiment. Impressive, Dad.
It sounds like you had a special Christmas despite being under the weather. I had a really nice Christmas at home, just the four of us. My favorite part was watching my boys try to solve riddles to find their present.
Clever mama! I took the lazy route and just handed the boy his presents. I might have to throw a treasure hunt in there next year!
Here’s hoping you have recovered…. it was a delight to share in your holiday
Feeling WAY better today. I almost look like a human! The holiday was wonderful despite all the snot and such.
I could feel Christmas when I was reading your post. Your son is probably so happy with his loot! Some of my favorite Christmas memories were the night before Christmas when my brother and I were young and we would sleep in the same bed and talk about what we might get for Christmas.
Leading up to Christmas I would always lay on the ground with my head under the tree so I could see up through the branches and the ornaments and lights. It was cool.
Yeah…Good times.
Ah, brother time sounds sweet. My brother was the wrestlemania type
It was a great Christmas. Lots of chaos and food, just the way we like it!
You’re son is so adorable!
Aw, thanks. I think that, but I’m obviously a little biased
Hey, I got the same thing for Christmas (okay, it was a day late, but the gift is still giving.) I hope you’re feeling better now
Was yours a mystery gift or did you know who gave it to you? My brother denies it, but he was the only other one sneezing and hacking away at the dinner table
Hope you get to feeling better, too!
NyQuil infused cranberry sauce… Now I know what my Christmas dinner was missing.
Can I just say that I love your new haircut? I know it’s been a few months now, but it looks snaz-to-the-Z.
Don’t take my cooking/self-medicating tips too seriously. I should note that I couldn’t smell or taste ANYTHING, so it might be hell in a bowl. Also, thanks. I still get a little self conscious about the short hair and the naked neck. But I am so lazy in the primping department that it’s hard to turn down a style that takes one minute to “fix”.
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Still digging out the inbox, now that I’ve dug out of the snow. Love the idea of the jammies. Do you think the Catholic Church might be doing better if they DID have bouncy castles and cupcakes for Christmas services?
Did you ever watch classic Doctor Who, back in the 70s and 80s? One of his incarnations wore a HUGE scarf – dang thing’s over 25′ long. My mom and sis knitted me one, to the original BBC plans, for Christmas one year. I still have it. When the wind blows too coldly, I use it to wrap the house. Twice.
Sounds like you had fun – at least from what you remember!