Composite Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  How do I know?  Because the migratory holiday worshippers are beginning to make trips to their respective winter homelands.  Yes, just like the Salmon of Capistrano, people are beginning to fight their way upstream to the spawning grounds of Christmas and New Years.  This is always a very troubling time for me as the seasons shift and so does my social circle.  Every year around this time there is a delicate balancing act of shifting numbers of acquaintances to be worked into my schedule.  Monday saw the loss of 2 followed by another 2 today and the gain of 1.  I am going to need to dust off my graphing calculator to make sure that my x and y vertices make the proper equation this time - one simple mistake in the formula and you've just missed Aunt Susan who was only here for the day.  For years I have been trying to convince my parents that we should be the kind of family who goes to Mexico for Christmas and every year I hear, "that would be nice" with no follow through.  I think my constant suggestions finally got to my mother this year as she grabbed Jenaper and headed south......way south.....South America south.  I guess she thought of my Mexico idea as just a jumping off point to start negotiations.  I didn't mean for her  to go without me.  The bright spot is I did manage to get in "I want gold, LOT'S OF GOLD" to her on their way out the door.  Well...gold and boots and fur.  The usual South American fair.  All these changes in scenery have caused me to reflect on other changes I could incorporate into my Christmas this year.  Today I decided that instead of pushing for Mexico, since that isn't going to happen, that I would focus on our meals.  Instead of our traditional clam chowder Christmas Eve dinner I am proposing another migratory animal - Lobster.  Lobster and Calamari and Shrimp, oh my!  Since our resident portion control and health foods advisor will be busy buying me gold and fur I have instituted a new Christmas motto devoid of seasons greetings and thankfulness.  Instead I propose this: "Where others skimp we splurge"!  Who's with me?