Merry Christmas Wishes

This entry is late by almost a day, but I wanted to wish my family Merry Christmas from halfway around the world since I can't be there to celebrate with them for the first time in my life. Christmas is my favorite day of the year and it's pretty sad to not be with my family (though I had a rousing Christmas morning conversation with them that helped; sounds like the "allocation for David gifts" got spread around to my sisters this year). So here are my Christmas wishes (look out, things might get mushy here):

Dad: I think this year, your biggest Christmas present came a couple weeks ago when SC finally got an outright birth in the BCS national championship game. Congratulations! It sucks I can't watch the game. But maybe somehow ... anyway, thanks for working so hard constantly and being such a great dad, always game to talk and joke about anything. According to an unofficial poll of my friends, you are "sooo cool". I will always be your bud, terrified that you will attack me in my bed before I fall asleep. Merry Christmas!

Mom: Thank you for always being there to talk to me about all the good and bad things in life and offer advice at the right times ("at the right times" being the key phrase there). Our completely opposite sleeping patterns mean there isn't really much of a time difference between California and Japan, which helps. And after over four years of practice, you make pretty much the greatest care packages on earth, something I appreciate more than you know. It's like you read my mind sometimes. Okaasan no tame, boku ha ganbatteru. Meri Kurisumasu!

Alissa: While you and I had difficulty living under the same roof as we became older, who knew that by living under different roofs (and different cities and different states and different countries) we would become so close. We now have the kind of brother-sister relationship one could only dream of: I help you with questions about writing and finance, you help me with questions about extreme sports and drinks, and we help each other with questions about our respective love lives. Now that's support! I love your long e-mails - keep em coming. Merry Christmas!

Kristen: Well, kooks, it's come down to just you. Ever since we started spending innumerable hours home alone watching classic TV shows like Saved by the Bell and Hey Dude and playing games like Life and Safety, we have logged some of the most ridiculous conversations in recorded history. I'm glad to see you've developed my razor-sharp wit, but I think there should be a footnote crediting me and a steady stream of royalty fees for like at least half your jokes. I'm serious. But in any case, it's nice that when people ask "are you close to your younger sister", I can answer "My younger sister, you ask? Hellz yeah, you know how we do. We tite like dat fo sheezy." And what else is there to say except: Merry Christmas and drop it like it's hooot!