No Place Like...

....home for the holidays.

Christmas with palms trees seemed as distasteful as eating pumpkin pie in July. So, a 6,000 mile life-shaving jaunt seemed a trifling tribute to enter the Rockwellian landscape of the Northeast, which puts the "nip" back into cold. Scowling and efficient and aggressive, the bustle of Newark's airport greeted our tanned smiles- I had missed these intense, industrious Yankees and their Dunkin-caffeinated fuel.

Whether it was the cousin's White Elephant game night featuring a "coveted" autographed photo of my brother Andrew in nothing but his boxer briefs and a winking smile or belated birthday celebrations with shrieking toddlers performing death-defying acrobatics, the best of times were inevitably the craziest of times with family.

Holiday Highlights: Dickens Village

Uncle Jake graciously conceded to accompany us to the Macy's Light Show at the old Wannamaker Building downtown. This Christmas tradition, celebrated by scores, was summarily boycotted by a petulant Eowyn who refused to even look at the lights for the entire performance. (Can't wait for those adolescent years!) 


Later, Dickens' Village, enlivened by mechanical wax figures enacting the famed literary tale A Christmas Carol did prove to be a diversion worthy of Eowyn's attention. So convincing were the miniature Cratchits, that Caid assumed a monkey-like posture with a death grip around my neck for the duration of the lyrical festivities.  


And tirelessly patient Uncle Jake, well, he was reminded this holiday season of the rewarding "child return policy" afforded to indulgent uncles after a long day of piggy back rides.