A Christmas Concussion

Christmas is now gone and has left me with wonderful gifts, platters of Christmas cookies, and possibly a concussion. All in all, its been a pretty fantastic Christmas. Now if only the room would stop spinning...

Christmas morning moves at the speed of a drunken snail at our house. Staying up 'till 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve eating chicken wings (you can only have so much ham and figgy pudding) and playing Appletters might have something to do with sleeping in to 9:45, but its my parents who are mostly to blame. Every Christmas they insist on performing their usual morning rituals before letting us dive under the tree. Over the years this has included getting dressed, making coffee/tea, making their bed, doing dishes, EVEN SHOWERING. The whole time the children of the household are groaning and looking at the gifts like a kindergarten class of weak bladders looking after a restroom. 

This year was better, I must admit. Coffee and tea was made, a ham basted, dishes washed, and some breakfast bread sliced but we made it to gifts before the it had become Christmas Noon.

Some of the worst and best gifts come out of letting my little sisters shop with little direction or assistance. Emma, for example, has learned how to read just to the point where she can recognize our names. How excited Jonmark was when he opened his gift, a candle holder with holly leaves and the name, "Jennifer", painted on the side. The cherry on top was that it doubled as a trinket box. My parents barely managed to top that gift with a Droid, Emma is a hard act to follow after all. Last year she gave him earrings.

Glory's gift to Jonmark was even better. She actually found two gifts, one for Jonmark and his roommate, Stony. Wrapped under the tree this Christmas was Scented Malibu Party Ken and Glam Beach Ken. I'm sure they will make lovely targets for explosives when he gets back to school. That or a new friend to go into their pet fish's tank.

Personally, I loved everything I got for Christmas this year; the sleek Canon digital camera, assorted goodies, makeup brushes, and of course good old money. One of my favorite (and most painful) presents would have to be my new poi flags.

Apparently back in the ancient mists of New Zealand, the tribal Maori people (sort of like our Native Americans) had their warriors practice with poi to make their arms stronger and to develop wrist-flexibility for using weapons. Poi are two chains or cords with a weight at one end and a handle at the other. A poi dancer will swing the weighted poi around their bodies in geometric patterns while dancing. But enough words, you can see it for yourself:

Poi with weights and streamers:

Poi with veils (voi):

Poi with flags:

And when you are really good, poi with fire:

Oh, and there is also glowstick poi. Yeah.

My Conclusions So Far on Poi:

1. Its not as easy as it looks.

2. Getting hit in the forehead by an iron poi weight hurts like the dickens. And draws blood.And multiple bruises.(The really ironic part is that the poi veils I got were called "Healing".)

3. ITS SO FUN.

Now, I must go play with my new toys. Asta la vista, baby!

Merry Late Christmas and A Happy New Year,

-Hannah