Head Tale

It wasn’t intentional but posting “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight)” by the Ramones yesterday got me thinking about ways family members might disagree on important topics at this time of year:

1. Jason vs. Shea: When to put up the tree.
   Me: November 12.
   Her: Early December.
   Compromise: usually late November.
2. Shea vs. Jason: How to wrap presents
   Her: Nicely.
   Me: The paper’s just going to get ripped off anyhow so as long as there’s nowhere to peek, who cares?
   Compromise: You do yours and I’ll do mine.
3. Parents vs. the Kids: When to eat chocolate from their Advent Calendars each day?
   Parents: In the evening, like maybe as a treat after supper?
   Kids: No, first thing in the morning!
   Compromise: Is there any doubt who wins this one? 😉
4. Shea vs. Jason: How much to spend on presents for the kids?
   Her: Alternates between wanting to spend too much and too little.
   Me: Alternates between wanting to spend too much and too little.
   Compromise: We always end up spending too much!
5. Jason/Sasha vs. Shea/Pace: How much we like Christmas music.
   Jason/Sasha: A lot.
   Shea/Pace: Couldn’t “Silent Night” be a bit more literal?
   Compromise: I admit that I tend to win this one and listen to Xmas music non-stop at home through most of the holiday season.
6. Jason/Shea (last year) vs. Jason/Shea (this year): Do we attend Christmas parties?  
   Jason/Shea (last year): A babysitter is expensive and you have to pick them up and get them home after and some of them just sit on their phones and ignore the kids so we might as well just stay home.
   Jason/Shea (this year): Pace took the babysitting course?
   Compromise: Let’s go to *all* the parties!
7. Jason/Shea/Pace vs. Sasha: Should we have an Elf on the Shelf?
   Sasha: Yes. Yes!  YES!
   Jason/Shea/Pace: Well, I guess if I pay $3 for a knock-off at the Dollar Store instead of $30 at Toys R Us, it wouldn’t be that bad.
   Compromise: Did you remember to move that infernal thing?
8. Sasha vs. Dad: What will happen if I just rip a teeny corner of this present?
   Sasha: It’s worth a try…
   Dad: No, it isn’t!
   Compromise: Posts photo of present now wrapped in entire roll of tape on his blog.
9. Pace vs. Sasha: Is Santa magic?
   Sasha (5 years old): Yes, just like God. (er, long story for another post on that one.)
   Pace (11 years old): Er, if I say “yes”, does he still bring me presents?
10. Jason/Shea vs. Pace/Sasha: Are you asleep yet? (Christmas Eve Version)
    Jason/Shea: Santa won’t come if you’re still awake on Christmas Eve!
    Pace/Sasha: If we force ourselves to stay up late enough, we might catch a glimpse of him!
    Compromise: Parents are bleary-eyed on Christmas morning after kids stay up until 2am and wake up at 6am!