I think I've got to the point where I would rather avoid Christmas altogether.
I've been on the edge of opting out the past few years. The chaos of shopping and ickyness of materialism were eclipsing the holiday.
Finally, this year, everyone in both our families got on board with not shopping for the adults. It was amazing. The few gifts adults did exchange were intentional and/or homemade.
For instance, DH's mom wanted the family to spend the day together, so she took everyone to Biltmore. If you're unfamiliar: Biltmore is the biggest privately owned US home, at 175,000 sq ft/16,258 sq meters. Built by the grandson of robber baron Cornelius Vanderbilt, this impressive shrine to excess sits in Asheville, North Carolina (also the home of
@MotherOfChaos). The estate was inspired by French châteaux as well as Waddeson Manor in Aylesbury, which had been completed the decade prior.
Dude ran out of money building the place, so 35 years after completion, the family monetized it as a tourist attraction to hold on to it.
How is this germane to this thread? A dim hall of engravings deep in the Biltmore house inspired my habit of adding a preamble to our head hen's name, e.g., The Most Marvelous, Fluffy Butted, and Deserving of the Title Head Hen Brahma Donna.
These wouldn't stand out in Europe, but in the home of someone who appeared desperate to parrot European nobility, they're gauche in a way that strikes the funnybone. No offense to George Vanderbilt stans.
Anywho, if you've read this far, tax: Stilton and Raisin reenacting the Kuato scene from
Total Recall 
