12/5/13 12/5/13

"Ornament, ornament, ornament!"

My sister, Daniella, is ten years younger than me and six years younger than our brother, Gerry. We were old enough to remember the day our parents walked into the house with a new baby. She had a fine pair of lungs.Later that night, my ten year-old self was annoyed. Sure Daniella was an adorable baby and everything but hello, I had school in the morning. I couldn't sleep with all that noise. I may have said something to my mom who gave me the classic Caribbean mother "you better stop with your nonsense" face. I stopped.I was in high school when Daniella started kindergarten. Laning Avenue Elementary School had a Santa's Workshop where kids could buy Christmas gifts for their family and friends.Gerry and I would take our gifts from under the tree, unwrap them and say loudly, "ornament, ornament, ornament!" as every year from kindergarten to fifth grade that is what Daniella gave us. My parents still have those ornaments.I think it started with Gerry, who said, "oh look, it's another ornament. Ornament, ornament, ornament!" I have no idea why we found this hysterically funny.Years later during the first Christmas day we spent with my future sister-in-law and brother-in-law, I busted out with the ornament thing (it really was an ornament) and my siblings and I lost it. My in-laws to be glanced at each other, "what's wrong with these folks?"I don't have room in my apartment for even a Charlie Brown tree, but I could buy an ornament or two.Here are a few that caught my eye:Reindeer! Love the scarves. Very snazzy.

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