A variety of cheer.

Variety #1: Fireside Cocktail Time

Because you all weighed in on the Bourbon To End All Bourbon suggesting, I thought I'd let you know that, while I don't think we actually found the Bourbon to End All Bourbon, I did get a good one and Bubba was made happy on Christmas Eve by being able to have a proper Cocktail Time.

Yes, that also means that we opened our stockings on Christmas Eve, but who really cares because we totally bastardize this holiday anyway, so whatever with tradition and doing things the right way and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas like normal nice people.

Variety #2: Gin cocktails in my new glass that formerly held Adobo sauce. Whatever. I'm recycling.

I ended up with Bulleit Bourbon because I have seen it on the shelf next to Knob Creek and Woodford Reserve, so it *must* at least be decent. Was my thinking anyway. And, thankfully, Bubba found it to be better than decent, and that is a bonus because it took up the whole heel of his stocking and the rest of the stocking was filled with such glamorous and fancy gifts like Mach Whatever Number razor blades and soap, so beyond the bourbon, there wasn't a ton to get excited about.

Unless being clean and hairless excites you, in which case, this stocking would be your dream come true. Much like it was his, but that's a story for another time.

So, I thank you all for your suggestions and for giving me a list from which to choose next year's (and the next and the next...) Bourbon To End All Bourbon so that Bubba never has to endure a sad holiday with Old Crow.

After celebrating with a proper Cocktail Time (in which I enjoyed Sapphire from my stocking stuffings, thankyouverymuch), we had our traditional Christmas Eve dinner: fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, gravy and chard.

Variety #3: The Christmas Fried Beast

So, the chard part is totally not part of the tradition, but you know we had some in the house and also we needed a broom for all the garbage we've been eating, so chard it was. Actually, Bubba perked up when I told him I was making chard with our Supah Traditional Christmas Feast and I think it had something to do with its magical brooming powers.

We've had a lot of holiday type treats, people, and it was starting to effect our ability to move comfortably. And we had to go skiing on Christmas Day! Like the nice normal people! So we had to broom!

It was a very important side dish is what I'm trying to tell you. I just don't want you thinking that my loathing for the chard has started to wane because that would be misleading. I don't trust that vegetable and want to make sure everyone knows that.

And now you also know that we don't celebrate Christmas like normal people, which I'm sure comes as no surprise, but we really like our weird little holiday traditions that are only traditional to us and it's also the only time of year I make fried chicken and gravy but it's so worth it.

Because then you get to have Bs and Gs with chicken G and that is the best.

Variety #4: Chicken Gravy. Good morning, sunshine.

In fact, it's downright cheerful.