Rebecca the Red Nosed Reindeer and Other Stories of Holiday Magic

So I have Nasal Vestibulitis. It's a "rare type of bacterial infection at the opening of the nose." It makes the tip of my nose swollen, tender, and very red.

"I look like a clown," I lamented to James a few nights ago.

"Or," he responded, "in this holiday season, you could say you look like..."

Rudolph. I look like Rudolph. I've dubbed it Rudolph's Disease and sing extra loud when the song comes up on my Christmas playlist.

Yay for makeup

I went to the doctor on Monday and got topical and oral antibiotics. Apparently my tiny red nose requires multiple meds, plus a probiotic and decongestant because it was probably caused by me constantly squeezing my nose to clear it due to my chronically retracted ear drums. So now I have a chart because the oral antibiotics are 4x a day, while the topical is 2x a day, and the probiotic is only once but not within 2 hours of the antibiotic. It's ridiculous; all for a swollen little tip of a nose.

But it's timely, not only because we're almost upon Rudolph's night to shine, but because it was exactly 7 years ago yesterday that I, a 30-year-old well-read lawyer, googler, and mother of 3, first learned that reindeer were real.

[Scene: Visiting the Dallas Arboretum on a freezing day with all three kids, including our tiny 6-week old baby (#ThirdKid), to see Santa.]

Me: Oh look kids! It's Santa and one of his reindeer! *wink wink*

[The kids said hi to Vixen and then walked off with James to see Santa.]

Me, to the handler who almost certainly wasn't being paid enough: So, what animal is it really?

Handler: Um, it's a reindeer ma'am.

Me, motioning to the absent children: It's okay, you can tell me, they can't hear you.

Handler: Um, this is a reindeer.

Me, equally annoyed and impressed at the commitment to holiday magic: Yeah, okay.

[I walk off to join James.]

Me: So I tried to find out what kind of animal the pretend reindeer is, but the guy wouldn't tell me!

James: Um, that's a reindeer.

Me: Ugh, stop it! I really want to know!

James: Wait... do you not know that reindeer are real?

Me, googling: Oh my god.

James, dies of laughter. [End scene.]

The kids love that story and honestly, so do I. It's like the time I learned in college that snakes can climb stairs. I grew up in a house that bordered a forest and small creek. Snakes were a frequent guest in our yard and occasionally made it into the house via our cat. And while I liked snakes and often caught the garden variety ones to temporarily house in an old aquarium on our porch, I had one night where I guess I got scared that one would appear in my bed. My dad, probably tired and wanting alone time with my mom, told me snakes can't climb stairs. I took this as gospel truth and stubbornly believed it for YEARS despite knowing on some other level of my brain that snakes often live in very tall trees. My freshman year of college someone was telling a story about a snake that was found in an attic and I said, "No, they couldn't have; snakes can't climb stairs." There was also laughing- it's good to be humbled every now and then and I totally yelled at my dad the next time we talked on the phone.

But back to Christmas! While this is a strange and socially distant holiday season, we have been able to check off a few of our favorite traditions! Claire was able to perform in the 5th grade play, a mask-wearing, socially distant play that the music teacher filmed in small spread-out groups and then spliced dozens of video clips together because she is amazing and wanted to give the 5th graders a final play. Claire played "Mom" and Maggie played the puppy the little boy wants for Christmas and it was the very cutest.

The girls had their much anticipated annual Pajama Reading Day at school on Friday.

And I still got to read them our favorite Christmas book, Christmas Delicious, via Zoom from our living room. I wore my pajamas in solidarity, and not just because I'm pretty much always in pajamas. It was so special to still be able to read to them and I was surprisingly sentimental about the fact this was Claire's last PJ Reading Day. When Landon graduated 5th grade it felt okay since I had Cora about to start Kindergarten the next year, but now I'll just have one baby in elementary school and that seems impossible and gives me lots of feelings.

Maggie and Moose were also featured in the Zoom reading and the girls were so excited to show them to their classmates. It was a fun kick off to Winter Break for them.

Later that day, Moose got to open his stocking early and he was very excited about his new toys.

In other new toys, James designed holiday suits and they are the cutest.

Cora also wanted you to see her outfit for going out to net leaves from the pool.

On Monday we went to see Santa on my lunch break!

Maggie came too obviously. She's a Believer.

Cora wants a puppy, which is a hard no, so hopefully she'll be satisfied with legos, a marble run, and the perfect angel of a bulldog we already have.

My constant companion, she is beauty and grace and pure wrinkly love.

Also, pure love: my shipment of Twinings tea that got delivered yesterday. This is what happens when your friend recommended a tea you can't get in any nearby stores and the free shipping minimum is $50.

$51 and 13 boxes of tea later and I have quite the assortment now living in my old built-in wine storage rack. The Christmas Tea is perfection and Winter Spice and Peppermint Cheer are also lovely.

And while gingerbread houses aren't our usual treadition, a friend gifted us an extra set and the kids were very excited to put it together. They divided it into sections for decorating and then begged to eat it.

We tried to warn them that gingerbread houses don't usually taste like the soft, chewy, amazing gingerbread cookies their Gigi makes, but parents don't know anything.

Except when they do.

Their reactions cracked me up. They ate all the candy, we tossed the house, and considered it a successful holiday project. Then we drove around the neighborhood singing loudly to the Raffi Christmas album and admiring the lights. I'm on Day 62 and it's been a good month so far.

[I should also add that I am so enjoying and appreciating your comments and feedback. Each comment email that pops up in my inbox during the day is like a little hug from the outside world and it's the best. I've gone back to respond to the ones from the last few posts, but in case I missed any, I just wanted to say thank you for still being here when I wanted to write again and I wish you the Happiest of Holidays and a Joyful New Year.]