I Am Dating Clark W. Griswold

And so we feasted Thursday.

And then I went shopping.

I slept for two hours and then?

The boy was ready to deck the halls.

My fa-la-la-la-la-la?

Non-existent.  I mean really?  I’m NOT a morning person when I get 6, 7, or even 8 hours of sleep.

To top it off?  It was one of the coldest days of the year AND wind gusts that could carry my fat butt off if it caught me just right.

No, I’m serious.

But the boy got into the “Ho Ho Hole” (which is what we call the attic at this time because it’s where all of the Christmas presents are housed) and got out the lights.  And off he and Matthew went.

I was nice about it.  I did take them something warm to drink and check on them every once in awhile, but the rest of us?  We just kinda hung out inside and cleaned.  We’re not as festive crazy as they are.

At one point in time, Sam ventured out to help.  Really?  I think she just wanted to get on the roof.  She wasn’t up there long but she was instrumental in helping to string the lights around the chimney.

I can assure you, she wasn’t out there long.  She was back in here catching up on all the episodes of “Glee” because now she’s a “Gleek” too.

Eventually, on one of the trips to the “Ho Ho Hole” he found his Santa hat.  And he wore it all day long.  He was bouncing around here like Santa was coming tomorrow instead of in 28 days and oh-so-happy.  It was cute.

The boy definately loves his Christmas MoJo and it’s nice because I’m a big fan of the holiday as well.

But the boy?

Well, let’s just say that our taste in decorations is a tad different.  The boy prefers white lights and I colored.  I’m a fan of lawn decorations, specifially inflatables.  The boy?  Not so much.

However, we discussed a few weeks ago that we would forgo decorating my house this year in an attempt to save money and we would combine the decorations at his house.

Huge deal for us.

I can remember sitting on his couch, last Christmas Eve, and wondering what would happen when we combined decorations.  It’s not that I don’t like the white lights, I do.  His home was BEAUTIFUL and his tree?  Looked like something straight out of Better Homes.  But I’m all about the color and I think the kids helped change his mind.  While the lights outside are still white, there is one inflatable and he told the kids, the tree would have colored lights this year.

They were estatic.

Ok.  So I am, too, I admit.

But back to Clark the boy.  He kept asking if he could go get more lights.  Apparently his and mine combined weren’t enough.  “It’s never enough, honey,” he says to me.

“It is when you have no money,” I replied.  But then promised him that he could add to his collection the day after Christmas when everything went on sale.  There are four children who are expecting gifts under the tree in 28 days and the lights?  Eh.. I think we can live without a few additional strands.

As I was out checking on him, I see a news truck pull in his driveway.  It was a truck from the station that I used to work for and when I looked, I realized that I knew the photographer.  I immediately thought that Mike had seen me outside and just pulled in to say hi, but as it turns out, they were out driving around trying to find people who were braving the cold to put up lights.

Two hours and they had found no one… until they drove past the boy’s house.

There they found him on the roof, in his santa hat, stringing lights.

They asked if he would be agreeable to the story and he said yes.  Before I knew it… Mike was on the roof with him!

Matthew was still outside helping, and despite the fact that there were TV people outside, the others still wanted to stay in where it was warm.  They came out to see what was going in, and then went right back in.

The story?  On the six o’clock news.

Oh.My. Word.

I didn’t hear him get interviewed as most of that was on the roof, but when I heard what came out of his mouth?

Bless his heart.  It’s a good thing I fell in love with him BEFORE this story aired…

But here it is…

[The Boy] loves this time of year. “It’s the day after Thanksgiving and time to put up the Christmas lights.“

With his santa hat on he climbed the roof to check his lights bulb by bulb,“You have to make sure santa can see the house.“

With santa coming in less than a month, there’s still some work to do. “We’re adding some inflatables this year and I’m trying to act happy about it, but I like my white lights.“

However, the kids want color and frosty, but frosty is a little under the weather this year. “Frosty is dead unfortunately he got a big hole in him last year.“

With the wind picking up and the flurries starting to fall, the dedicated decorator refused to throw in the towel.

“The Christmas stupid hit today and it doesn’t matter if it’s snowing or raining, you put Christmas lights up the day after Thanksgiving.“

Once this Christmas comes and goes, [the boy] will be ready for next year and ready to outdo himself.  “You add a few when everything goes on sale and then add more and more and 20 years later its National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.“

I bolded the selections that I couldn’t believe.  Bless his heart.  He’s just so cute.  But can’t you see some kid watching the news, hearing the boy state that Frosty is dead and having a total meltdown?

I can.

His parents were ticked that they saw their son on the news and he wasn’t getting arrested. Heh.

But there you have it.  What wasn’t in that article, which was in the news was about his remote control.  All of the lights are wired to one clicker and all he has to do is press the button and they come on.  He loves it.  So do the kids.

And last night he couldn’t WAIT until dark to turn all the lights on.  When it was finally dark enough, and before we shipped them off to their other parents, he bundled all the kids up and we went out side.

In his hand he had the remote and all of the kids argued about who would get to click.

It was decided that they would all do it together…

And when they hit the button?

And all were happy…

Until next time…