It's Over!

Christmas is over! Yeah! I know it is a little early for most folks but my family Christmas is over.

Now mind you, I don't start shopping until noon on December 24. That is all of the "season" I allow. We used to have a great store in Lincoln that was perfect for a guy like me. The store was Miller & Paine and it was a traditional department store in the heart of downtown. I would go in there about noon on the 24th, buy what I needed to buy, and take everything downstairs to gift wrapping. In two hours or so, I was out the door with cool wrapped packages and on my way.

Miller & Paine, including their famous cinnamon rolls and macaroni and cheese, is gone. The building is still there, but the store is gone. That means I have to wrap stuff and the "look" of my presents has gone downhill over the years. After M&P closed, I had to move my shopping up to 10:00 am. What a waste of a day.

Luke, my youngest nephew, graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln this past Saturday. In a passing conversation, my brother, the family host of Christmas this year, mentioned they were having same on Sunday.

Sunday? You mean Christmas Sunday instead of Christmas Eve? (We have always been Eve people.) No, he clarified, Sunday. As in about 28 hours after my jaw dropped.

So, I was off to Target and Wal-Mart for shopping. Got that done in two hours. Wrapping took another two hours. Done.

The car ran like crap all the way up to Omaha and I thought it might not make it there. I was also worried about hitting a Jewish moutain lion. They don't celebrate Christmas and might be waiting in the ditch for a clunky car to come along and stall.

The little red car made it. The dinner was wonderful. The great nephews and nieces liked the stuff and I was home by 11.

Now I can kick back next Sunday and watch war movies.

Merry Chistmas to you still shopping fools!