And then there were chocolate chips

We put off the present-opening and such until my sister Amy, husband David, and their child-in-utero arrived on 12/26, which is still a proper holiday-- St. Stephen's Day-- in Ireland. No one really knows what St. Stephen's Day is for, but Andrew and I are pretty sure it's so Irish people can recover from their Big Irish Hangovers (these are far larger than any American hangover you or I have ever had, will ever have, or could ever hope to have).

Amy and David toted about a month's worth of diapers, toiletries, and gifts for Christmas and for Evan's birthday (he'll be ONE! on 1/2). Evan's butt will be clean, Andrew and I will be clean, and-- perhaps best of all-- I can bake something with chocolate chips in it to celebrate. 5 pounds of my sister's baggage was Ghirardelli-related, and it was all for ME!

Christmas in Ireland lasts a very long time. The people had Christmas Eve and Day off, 12/26-- St. Stephen's Day, and Bank Holidays on Monday and Tuesday. Some will work today and Thursday, and will be off again on Friday for New Year's Eve. Next week follows a similar pattern, with another Bank Holiday on Monday. What this means, of course, is that it's hard for tourists to see things because of the long duration of the Irish Christmas Season. RTE 1 and 2 are still showing seasonal programming, people are still wishing each other Happy Holiday, and today, I kid you not, someone walked down the street in a Santa hat. Enough already! Don't the Irish have WORK to do?

After this restive, festive, blessed season is over, things better start to change around here. I want the Irish to be entirely focused on customer service: speedy and timely. All paperwork should be date-stamped and filed alphabetically; all emails should be proofread and edited before sent; everything should be on sale for 75% off; no more coffee breaks one hour after arriving at work; measurements should be calculated using the Imperial system. Have a Happy New Year, but wipe that drunken smile off your face when you come back to work next Tuesday.