All I want for Christmas...

Since I got my two front teeth many Christmasses ago, I was kind of at a loss when trying to figure out what it is I needed. This year I didn't really make a list of things I wanted from "Santa" ... and by "Santa" I mean other people.

I told my dad I wanted a coffee maker, and a toaster... because I am now a practical old person who doesn't need frivolous things like a gigapet, or a polly pocket, or other such nonsense.

My mom knows me well enough that I trust her to shop for me without a list.

But in all honesty, there aren't many things that other people can get me that I wouldn't be able to procure for myself... I mean yeah, sure, I'd like a new car as much as the next person. And I wouldn't turn down a large check, or huge diamond ring, but I'm a bit more practical these days.

So I got to thinking about the *things that make me genuinely happy. (* Please note that these are THINGS, defined as tangible goods.)

And here's what I came up with:

• Sweatpants.
• My bed.
• Hot new shoes.
• A brand-spankin' new scrubby sponge. (I'm weird. don't ask.)
• Vodka. (Top-shelf - means I'll be happy the next day too!)
  
• Crab Rangoon.
• Chicken fried rice.
• A bubble bath.
• A good book.

Yeah, see, I'm easy to please.

Seeing that sweatpants were on the top of my list, I got to thinking about my days working in the athletic department in college. The funny thing about the athletic department is the equipment room, (where I spent the bulk of my time.) When it came time to distribute things like letter jackets, wind breakers, and watches, a lot of people could really have cared less.

I was always shocked by that... I mean this is a division 1 athletic department, and these are awards that show your accomplishments.

But no, people didn't really get excited about that... they were more excited about other things.

Things like SWEATPANTS.

Yep, that's right, the athletes would rather have a pair of sweatpants instead of a letter jacket. It seems so illogical... until you try on a pair of those glorious sweatpants. Once you slide into a pair of those bad boys, it's all down hill from there. I still have several pair that I sport with great frequency while lounging in my apartment. And they make me happy.

So what do I want for Christmas?

I want to be able to sleep in, in my glorious bed, and then spend a day lounging around my apartment, in sweatpants, dining on chicken fried rice and crab rangoon, possibly reading a good book, or taking a bubble bath, and ending the day wearing hot new shoes and drinking large quantities of top-shelf vodka... (Guess what I'm doing on New Year's Eve if I'm not bartending!)