the evening kicked off with a call to Bche, where Oma, Cristina, Santi, and Pablo were waiting to talk and exchange holiday greetings. I walked in the door just in time to participate (I haven't talked to them for a long time!)
Then we sat down to dinner (I had a homemade concoction version of The Crazy Pepper's tomatillo soup [minus the chicken & tortillas], everyone else had the best smelling milanesa I've even missed out on!) We ate, we talked, we cleared the table, and I brought out the chocolates mom made last weekend. I tried my dangedest to pawn many of them off on others, but it was like pulling teeth.
Finally, we moved into the living room for gifts. From Carol I got a cool cat shaped treat container that meows when you open it, a vase from Cerámica Bariloche, and a snowglobe that my grandmother gave the entire family long ago (she packed it away for when I had my own place...) Heidi hit the spot with a beautiful set of flatware (we had a conversation about my lack there of while she did my hair.)
My dad knocked my socks off! First, he gave me a hand-colored [at 5:00pm with high-lighters from work *giggle*] piece of paper that simply stated

To:Amancay

From:Dad

Re:Loan

This is to inform you that the loan you had with dad has been hereby paid in full.

Thank you!!

¡Feliz Navidad!

Dad

I am so thoroughly blessed!

1. Opening presents...rip 'em open with all abandon, or carefully open, preserving the pretty paper for recycling? definitely recycle, or even reuse if possible, but some things were just meant for rippage!

2. Do you and yours take turns, opening one gift at a time, or does everyone just rip into everything at the same time? we take turns all around to savor each gift and see the reactions

3. If you get something you don't like...do you try to return it, or keep it so as not to hurt the giver's feelings? returnables are great,one can only pray that people know you well enough to spare the horrific surprises!

4. Do you spend the holiday at home (yours or someone else's), or do you go out and eat, see the newest movie, whatever? at our home (or our family's home) playing games, relaxing, and yummy food lingering

5. What do you do with Christmas cards after the holiday is over? Save them, or toss them? I'm a bona fide pack-rat with every letter/card ever sent ot me in boxes around the house

6. Cook Christmas dinner, or does someone else do that? we all pitch in with a "pot-organized"esque flavor, with a decided theme of sorts (breakfast, finger foods, etc)

7. It's Christmas Eve, and you have run out of wrapping paper. Do you go out and buy more, or wrap the rest of the gifts in the Sunday comics? well, last night Sara andI quickly realized my ribbon was insufficient for all my packages (danged triked-out packaging) and quickly whipped back out to the stationary store for more... I would hope that all things were prepared by the Eve (especially since that's when we celebrate with my dad)

8. On Christmas morning...up at the crack of dawn, eagerly anticipating the loot...or would you rather sleep in? *singing punk/ska*
   "You gotta get up,
   you gotta get up,
   you gotta get up,
   it's Christmas mo-o-orning!"

9. Do you want a white or a green Christmas? let it snow!

10. Going to church on Christmas...yes or no? in Argentina [Bche] we did... not here though!