Merry Christmas to you!

Merry Christmas, and a jolly Yule to everyone. It's been a very rough Yuletide around here, but we had a happy Christmas, with our strange little patchwork family all together for the holidays. We had a Christmas feast, and even a few Christmas presents under our tree this year.

This Krampus tree bauble came from my mother. If you can make it out, he has a rather chastened looking child in his krampus sack.

This baroquely ornamented dragon hourglass came from my dear father. The Christmas card there is of my own design. My brother and I are thinking of selling them next year.

Absinthe mints from my mother. People who have read this blog for a few years may know that I am a minor absinthe aficionado. I still haven't done a blog post on the subject.

And my mother also gave me this Guy Fawkes mask. After all, I did need one. He's looking suitably Anglophilic in my British pith helmet.

Another gift from my old man. He lives in southern Cali.

Anyway, these are trying times, but I hope that all of you have at least had a warm, comfortable, Christmas time. And to start the new year off right, I'll leave you with one of my favorite Yuletide carols:

Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy, and bountiful new year!