Christmas Shopping

The LTR and I are venturing out today to be lured by retailer's charms as we try in one fell swoop to complete all our Christmas shopping in one day.

Christmas is, of course the "Season of Universal Love" according to Bette Midler's ill-advised remake of "From a Distance." It's also a time of sibling rivalry and this year, regarding my sister, I'm gonna get the bitch.

Each year there's a competition for who can get the "best" gifts for mom and dad. Last year she set me up. When I called her and innocently asked what she was getting our parents, she ran through a typical, run of the mill Christmas gift exchange. Then on Christmas day, I sat there in horror as my Dad unwrapped my sister's present -- a beautifully framed montage of photos of my sister and him through the years, along with a poem about a daughter's love for her Dad. I fumed as I watched the tears roll down his craggy face while I contemplated the sweaters and ties for him in my Sears gift wrapped packages.

Of course, the year before, I won. I had an old -- ancient, really -- album (you know those round vinyl things you put on turntables, put a needle on it, made it spin so you could hear scratchy sounding music) of my mom's high school band, circa 1959. I took it to the recording studio I use, and we re-mastered it and I turned it into a CD. I even re-created the label that was on the original LP. Mom loved it. And she commented to me recently about how much she plays it. So take that, Sis.

So yes, Christmas shopping...love, Santa, peace, joy...and Sister...you can just wipe last year's smirk off your face.