Christmas with the Sonnenscheins

First off, the Secret Santa thing worked out fine. My Santa-ee liked his present. He's a weird guy, I met him in the subway that morning and for some reason he peeled off across Park Avenue South and away from our office before realizing his mistake despite working in our office for over two months. Anyway, he said he liked his gift. I got the same present I got last year, a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card. Nothing wrong with that.

The family is having a great Christmas. The Saturday before Christmas we went to Dyker Heights to see some very elaborate Christmas decorations. Check them out here.

We spent Christmas Eve in Manhattan checking out the big Rockefeller Center tree. Then we went to Top of the Rock. The views were spectacular and the set up is very nice, much better than the cramped Empire State Building. You can watch inside or outside but I got a little freaked out holding Owen outdoors on the 70th floor. I kept having visions of a wind gust blowing him away.















After that we went to Grand Central Station to check out the excellent train show at the Transit Museum store and see the ceiling light show.

Christmas itself was a lot of fun. I think we all cleaned up. Gwen loved her many princess products and her new Magic School Bus and Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four books. I think The Wife loved her new necklace, 30 Rock TGS t-shirt and boots (later exchanged). I got a pair of slick shoes (later exchanged), a Sidney Crosby t-shirt and some great books. I think Owen liked his gifts, at least I know Gwen likes playing with them.

This was the first year in memory that nobody got any DVDs instead we got a Roomba. The entire family watches it's hour-long cleaning excursions through the apartment. Will it suck up the tree skirt? Can it get over the rug? Will it find Owen's mess under the dining room table? Why won't it go into Gwen's room. Truly, fun for the entire family and Gwen loves having a robot in the family.

Another highlight was this set of small statues of U.S. presidents from our friend, Dave. As you can see, we love it.

Check out the detail.

Anyway, besides the orgy of gifts the family has been spending lots of time together and generally taking a break after an exhausting year. Hope you had a great holiday, too.