All you want for Christmas is to hear from me

First of all, Merry Christmas to all! I assume by now that all of the presents have been opened, the carnage of the paper lies strewn about the living room...usable gifts are being used, new movies and games are being played, breakfast is being eaten...but yet even with all the new toys, clothes, games, and goodies, you just don't feel...satisfied. Empty. It's like something is missing. Your Christmas is not complete.

Well, you can rest easy friends, because I have your missing gift...the Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle under your Christmas tree. And trust me friends, you won't shoot your eye out with this...unless you are an idiot.

So what is this marvelous gift that promises peace on your block, sweet music bumping in your trunk, and lemon bars in your belly? Well, silly, you're reading it! That's right! Now Santa already told me that absolutely no one asked for a blog post from me for Christmas, but I went ahead and assumed that it's what you all really wanted, that you didn't ask for it because you didn't quite know how, and I decided to hunker down and give you what you really wanted, and so here it is! My first ever Christmas blog post!

Now what to blog about...hmmm...how about...I tell you guys what I got for Christmas! That way, if you got less than I did, you can feel blessed to know me, and if you got more than I did, you can feel good about yourself at my expense.

Let's see...we opened gifts at my mom and dads a week ago today, so I might forget some. But here goes...

Office season 1

Office season 4

Office calander

Comfy sweat pants

Socks

Darth Vader for President t-shirt

Dark Knight DVD

Project 86 Christmas EP

Itunes gift card

Earbud headphones

Kingdom Come graphic novel

Watchmen graphic novel

A Willow New Dad statue

A beard trimmer

Frequency DVD

Now obviously there is more to Christmas than the gifts. Last week we spent hanging out with my family, and it was an amazing time, and now we're at the in-laws hanging out enjoying presents and company. I just wanted to get something tangible down for you the loyal reader, and it's much easier to itemize a list of gifts than it is to elaborate on the special times spent with family. But since I do have thoughts (although they are few and far between sometimes), I will share them with you. Hey, it's like a second gift from me!

Here's the deal folks...2008 has been a rocky, topsy turvey year, and hope has been hard to find. The story that Christmas tells is the birth of hope that can carry us through whatever life throws at us. There are no guarantees that 2009 will be any better than 2008, and it might be worse. Let us all take time to pause and reflect on what is really important as we spend time with our families and friends and remember the meaning for this holiday that we celebrate (and if you don't I think you should, because Christmas is my favorite). God bless, and merry Christmas!