It Was a Christmas-Kwanzaa Miracle

Got back from the week-long trip to the Deeeep South on Tuesday morning.  It was the best adult Christmas ever.

For those who require further clarification, "best adult Christmas" means best Christmas since I started paying my own bills about ten years ago.  Highs:

• No drama from the TSA other than being asked to remove my long, dress-like zippered hoodie and feeling a little exposed in a red tank and leggings as I walked through the metal detector.  
• My flights were actually on time and uneventful!  PTL!!!
• My mom jokingly called me skinny in reference to my weight loss, which started the visit off with a happy, peaceful glow. 
• At home, there were no real fights, only a minor snide comment or two.  That's actually pretty mild for us.  Other potential sources of drama were ignored/avoided on my part, mostly by biting my tongue, sweetly acquiesing to guilt trips, and keeping myself busy by baking and washing dishes that seemed to be multiplying on their own.  My father even commented on how calm and relaxed I was.  *bangs gong* Om.

• My parents did not stage an organized intervention re my choosing the arts over corporate America, and amazingly had positive, supportive things to say on the topic.  Were they employing reverse psychology?  Hmm.

• My baked goods (Snickerdoodles, French Toast Casserole with Whiskey Sauce, Crab Pizza) turned out pretty well--A- to the casserole, B to everything else.
• My hair untwisted into perfect, non-frizzy coils.
• Picture-perfect snow on Christmas Day that had little impact on area roads. 
• On Christmas evening at my grandma's house, the former felon (but improving) cousin served a tasty pitcher of hunch punch that had everyone in a good mood.  There was also actually a first-time ever hilarious multi-carol sing-a-long videotaped for my cousin serving in Afghanistan.
• Santa actually listened and brought me cold, hard cash.  Which is always preferable to random, unecessary junk.

Lows (relatively minor):

• Ice-cold, windy weather.
• Engorging myself on lemony pound cake, fudge, or hot, sugary-spiced tea every other time I walked in mom's kitchen. 
• My father's present vanishing from luggage which I paid $40 to check round-trip, and then having to deal with salty, unprofessional Atlanta-based airline employees to resolve the issue.  Thanks, AirTran.  1/1/11 update:  Item located.  They didn't lose it.  Long story.
• My mom's insistence on watching mostly crappy/sappy Lifetime Christmas movies on the kitchen TV all week long...
• Tagging along with my parents on a salt- and grease-laden post-shopping visit to the Golden Corral buffet.  Ick.
• The BFF not being able to make the post-Christmas drive from Nashville due to TN snow.  :(
• Waiting darn near an hour for my luggage at Reagan.  Thanks again, AirTran/luggage belt mechanics.
• Coming home to a fridge that contained "technically expired" turkey slices, spinach and not much else.  Guess I deliberately ate and drank most of the fresh stuff before I left.  Boo.

Hope you had a fabulous and peaceful Christmas too.  Feel free to share your printable hijinks in the comments section.