Holidays with Dad

Holidays with my dad’s family are a lot like a company Christmas party. Here are a few likenesses I can think of off the top of my head:

• You never really want to go but it’s kind of expected
• There’s typically free food available but the quality is always up for debate
• Plastic silverware and paper plates are required
• If gifts are given they’re notoriously cheap, edible, need to be scratched off with a coin or you’ve already got one
• You always watch some video or sporting event that you could truly care less about
• The enjoyable part is seeing who gets the most drunk and does something completely inappropriate for the occasion

To add a little perspective. The picture below was taken when I went back for Thanksgiving this year. Not to land on the side of normalcy the fam decided to have Thanksgiving on Friday instead of Thursday and instead of eating turkey and stuffing in the Shire at an Aunt and Uncle Baggins’ it was decided to head to the local Vet’s club for “supper” and just order off the menu. What’s Thanksgiving without a heapin’ helping of Chicken Fried Steak and a double side of white gravy. Who could ever ask for more flour and cornstarch? Needless to say I made a hasty retreat but not before I had the pleasure of checking out Dad’s latest kill which by Christmas was proudly hanging in his “front room.”