Sappiness doesn’t usually good on me and we all know I’m that vain bitch, but I gotta be real here and tell you that this past Christmas was anticlimactic, quiet, and — absolutely perfect. All I wanted was for it to be just us three, no expectations, no obligations. And it was just that.

Against all odds, Chooch has grown up to be someone who doesn’t care about the amount of Christmas gifts under the treeTrudy. He was content with all the things we got him, like a jersey from some guy from the Seahawks, a Gulf of Mexico shirt (FDT), other assorted clothes items, Dr. Squatch, a really cool diffuser that Henry and I have become obsessed with and are planning on buying our own, lol.

We did also get him and his friend Zakk tickets to a Steelers game the week before, I gave him my credit card on Black Friday so he could buy himself clothes and an Eddie Bauer (he loves Eddie Bauer??) jacket at the outlets, and we let him roadtrip to Cleveland today for another Steelers game with two of his friends. So, he is happy!

As for me? HIM HO (that’s what Drew :( and Penelope call Santa) got me G-DRAGON’S PEACEMINUSONE NIKE PARANOISE AIR FORCE 1s!!! This was the most recent version released earlier in the year that I didn’t even attempt to buy because it’s a bloodbath and no one can compete with sneakerheads PLUS G-Dragon fans. But then I found my size on eBay and sent it to Henry as a HINT.

(

Oh! And as usual, half the fun on Christmas is watching Chooch roll his eyes at who all of his gifts are from. This year:

• Truman
• Lady on the sidewalk, dead
• Pam’s Eagle tattoo (our coaster friend loves the Eagles and is always showing off her Eagles tattoo lol but Chooch hates the Eagles)
• Splenny Claus (I inexplicably call Penelope “Splenny”)
• Wolfman’s Nards (obviously a nod to Monster Squad)
• Truman again, I guess I’m losing it
• 마크 (Mark Lee from NCT – when Chooch cared about Kpop, Mark was his bias)
• Johnnie Gilbert in his Never Shout Never phase (Chooch hates that I love Johnnie)
• Tara Yummy’s dog, Sugar (Chooch hates that I watch this certain group of YouTubers and know random things about their lives like the name of their dogs)
• “Welcome to the shithole!” guy in Iowa (literally one line in this entire blog post good luck finding it)

Let’s look at my shoes again!!!!

OMG my dream is to wear to these to a BIGBANG concert in 2026.

Excuse me, who is this adult.

Penelope, checking to see if they’re G-Dragon scented.

Later that day, we went to Pink Box for our annual Christmas buns. I got a taro mochi. I don’t know what the others got, just that they were annoyed that I wouldn’t let them eat them until we got our family pictures done in the cemetery.

The day started out so ugly and wet – just in general, the air was so cold and damp. But on the way to Pink Box, the sun came out and then the skies were a beautiful blue at the cemetery! It was also just warm enough to comfortably take off our jackets (hilariously Mr. Anti-Coat kept his on???).

There was only bad sour moment of the whole day and it was when I got into a big argument with the tri-pod and then pouted in the car for only approx. 30 seconds – BABY’S GROWING UP.

I ALMOST FORGOT TO TAKE PARTY!PARTY! PICTURES! Chooch was like, “Oh GREAT, you’re still using that app?!” when I screamed, “WAIT! PARTY! PARTY!”

Location change! And bun debut!

Anyway, as usual, these turned out like the usual Erin and Her Background Standers snaps that everyone is used to. There were actually quite a few people walking around the cemetery at this time (it’s usually dead, pun intended, but ever since Covid it’s like people realized that cemeteries are great places to take a stroll, ugh, go away) and I felt like we were getting stares but fuck you people, this is our TRADISHAWN.

Then, to cap off a perfect Christmas, we gathered on the couch at 8PM to watch all three new episodes of Stranger Things, and Penelope even joined us here and there. It was the coziest end to a wonderful day with my two faves and the only bad thing is that it’s going to make it so much harder to say goodbye to Chooch next weekend. :(

This just REALLY made it feel like Christmas to me.

OMG he went thrifting his friend last week and got this blanket gown thing that he has worn every day since and he’s so annoying about it.

Splenny <3

This has been a rough for most people I know and I just hope that everyone found some peace with their family / friends / furry kids during this holiday season.

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