Failing Christmas

So THIS year one of my kids is miles and miles away in a totally different city within an utterly different country on a completely different continent. Which is very cool actually, and I'm thrilled to bits, but it does make things a bit difficult when coordinating celebrations.

Also, another of my kids is working for a [cough, soulless] corporation that, in its wisdom, is open not only Christmas Eve but also Christmas day AND said kid has been scheduled for both of those days, AND doesn't have a day off even until the Wednesday after Christmas.

Add to that the other child who is not only far away (but not as far as the first referenced offspring above), but informed me that the box of cherished Christmas ornaments and things that we had carefully packed up for said child last Christmas has been LOST by the Powers that Be and therefore this child is alone, family-less and HAS NO STOCKING. It did offer to use one of its own socks, but since I immediately imagined the sad, sad scene with my darling offsprung holding out its pathetic, empty bowl and lisping, 'please thir, I would like thome more.' while the sock hung empty and bereft behind it... I said no, I would MAKE this child one!! Yerse... only this was LAST WEEK which, if you're counting, is rather close to THIS WEEK. But! I could not let my darling child go without a stocking so I persevered. - CHILD!! What follows is A Spoiler! DO NOT READ ON if you wish to  be surprised by your stocking!! And I made it this:



Which involved some embroidery to produce this:

Yes, I actually did try to embroider 'pull to open' in the teensiest letters imaginable. No, it was not entirely successful due to the limitations of a) felt and b) my talents. Still...

I have to admit I'm pretty chuffed about the dalek. I mean, really:

Whose the cutest little genocidal nihilist? YOU ARE! Yes you are!

ANYWAY

Point is that took a bit of time, but all was well as the REST of that child's Christmas-inna-box was totally done and dusted and ready and so, on what wasn't even the last possible day by what was not completely the skin of my teeth, I did get it finished, wrapped, packed and mailed. Only to have the midwest totally and purposely THWART me by deciding to have a flippin' great snow-storm.

So my kid's Christmas is sitting in a mail-room, delivered the day AFTER the last day said mail-room is open, and therefore not possibly claimable until TUESDAY at the earliest.

To recap: One child remote and unreachable but happy, one child doing slave labour through the entire holiday, one child remote AND unable to claims its Christmas until well after the Day Itself.

CHRISTMAS FAIL

S'okay. We're planning plans and scheming schemes and salvaging Christmas if it kills us. Which means we're introducing an entirely new festal day -

December 28th! Feast day of procrastinators, slave laborers, and far flung loved ones. It'll catch on. Trust me.

Comments

[Lally]

I think I want to fight to the death with Kid 2 over that one. But I won't because I have an equally awesome stocking from you!

[Debbie]

I can see absolutely NO limits to your talent. Lucky child will receive one fab stocking!