Have a sexy Christmas

No, this isn't a post decrying sexy M&Ms or Santa Baby. No sirree Bob; it's quite the opposite.

There's lots of folks who will tell you that Christmas is for children. And the idea of Christmas being something sexy ... well, that's just wrong. Christmas is about a holy birth, or a completely G-rated Santa delivering dolls and toy trucks to kiddies. And sexy is just commercialization of Christmas.

Well, phhhbt on that, I say.

Even before I knew what "sexy" was, I think I've always had an awareness of how sexy Christmas is, starting with my parents. My parents are utterly, utterly appropriate, very straight-laced, but around Christmas, there'd be a twinkle in their eyes. Dad usually took a week's vacation around Christmas, so he'd be relaxed. He'd be making eggnog or Bahama Mamas, Mom would be playing the Christmas LPs and thanks to an organized personality that I did not inherit, all the shopping would be done. I'd see kisses and pats on the butt, and it gave me a warm glowy feeling.

Newlywed ... is there anything like a newlywed Christmas? Especially when you're still kids yourselves ... I was 21 and The Husband, 22. Our apartment was -- literally -- less than 500 sq ft, total. That fact notwithstanding, we went to the grocery store and purchased an enormous fresh tree. We had trouble opening the front door and we had to send my mom to spend the night with her aunt because we couldn't fold out the hide-a-bed ... but boy, did we have the Christmas spirit. With our meager budget, we were thrilled to find Swiss Colony goodie boxes we could send to everyone. (Boy were our faces red when we saw our gift to my parents at their house and discovered that the boxes of goodies were just like full size, but miniature. A stub of cheese the size of a cocktail sausage. Lesson learned.)

Now we're the parents, complete with secret looks, subtle innuendo, and whispers we don't explain. The other day, watching some holiday show, The Princess asked, "Why do kids complain when their parents kiss?" "I dunno," I answered. "I always kind of liked seeing my parents kiss." The Princess nodded sagely. "It means they love each other."

So ... along with all the fun family activities, spiritual moments of solitude ... throw in a little sexy. Wink, flirt, hug, dance. Twinkle.