christiemas (eve) with the maliyacks...

given how overfestified i can get about the holidays (mild exaggeration, i know), many individuals are always quite surprised to hear how low key is, in fact, the actual family celebration of christiemas when i go home for the holidays. i chalk it up to coming from a small family (just my sister and me, and of course, the ever-devoted parents)... i mean, come ON! half the fun of the holidays is the hustle and bustle of utter holiday chaos... one of my favorite memories involves going over to my best friend's house at some point during the holiday season a few years ago and literally tripping over her sisters, in-laws, nieces, nephews... the works! some might consider it stressful, i consider it glorious. GLORIOUS!


this year was no exception. but there's also something to be said for low key... i guess. leave it to us. let's begin with christiemas eve. as has become standard in our household, the fridge was nicely stocked with cans of Coke for marian and me. our parents really like to not spoil us and really watch out for our health, apparently. as we were getting ready to leave for church that night (after the debacle that can only be reserved for soon-to-be-enlarged family photos), my sister started complaining about being thirsty. to which my dear, sweet scientist of a father responds with "well, we do have some coke..." which makes perfect sense. when dehydrated, drink some coke. new family motto.


so we decide after christiemas eve mass (it was about 10 pm in loveland ohio on christiemas eve, keep in mind), to head to meijer (for some... raspberry lemonade. marian is not picky at all). no better way to spend a cozy christiemas eve, right? sigh. well, this would've been fine and good (i mean, just a slight detour, really) if we hadn't pulled into the ginormous parking lot to find it barren and empty... and the lights of meijer completely off. i mean, we knew it would be closed christiemas day, but who would've thought that it would shut down before midnight christiemas eve? not us. but raspberry lemonade, we (and by we, i mean marian) were determined to have. so we cruise by the walgreens which, of course, was also closed. that was no question, even for us maliyacks. but then, my dad has the brilliant (not to mention classy) idea of driving down to this corner speedway which, quite frankly, ive been to only once in my life for gasoline- never... well, groceries. gag.


so we get to speedway and... quite frankly, are slightly astounded. it's... f'ing... PACKED. and let's be honest, there was no one filling up at the pumps. all cars were readily parked in the miniature parking lot... and let me tell you, id never SEEN such well-dressed speedway customers: the cutest little grandfatherly man in a sweater vest venturing out with a gallon of milk... this other man bedecked in a suit also perusing the dairy aisle... this woman in stiletto heels venturing in to buy who knows what... who ever would've thought? speedway is the place to see and be seen come christiemas eve night apparently.


see? we maliyacks feign ignorance, but really, we just know how to do things RIGHT come christiemas eve. discovering the low-down hot spots of loveland, ohio on christiemas eve, thank you very much.


oh, and marian finally got her darn raspberry lemonade.