December 24, 2009: Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, for me, has always been a time of nervous energy balanced with satisfied relaxation. While there are attention-demanding boxes beneath the tree, the most stressful parts of the year are past. The time is right for lounging on the couch and watching movies.

Of course, if you're a bit obsessive about what could be in those brightly colored boxes, you may be looking for ways to peek inside before the morning. In my youth, I went so far as to carefully slice open the tape, unwrap the presents enough to ascertain the contents, then rewrap them.

It didn't work very well. I wasn't discovered, mind you, but it was a nerve-wracking breakfast!

-- Paul Chapman

(It's also Munchkin Czar Andrew Hackard's birthday. Don't tell him we told you!)