No Whining

(Posed picture of Andrew pretending to whine)

After another full, grueling day in town, I came home with a warning for the kids:

Me:  There will be NO whining whatsoever on Christmas morning!

Alicia and Megan:  What?

Me: I'm just saying....If one of you has half a present more, or if the stockings contain something different than you've gotten before.  There will be no whining.  At all.  No matter what.

Alicia:  You're making it sound like there's going to be a reason to whine.  I know I'm going to whine if there's something to whine about!

Me:  Great.

Andrew:  Mom, what are you getting me for Christmas?

Me:  A lump of coal.

Megan:  What did you get me?

Me:  A pink lump of coal.

Andrew:  Well, I'm excited about my coal.  I'll start a fire with it and it can keep me warm.

Me:  Now that's the right attitude!  We can all learn from Andrew.

Andrew:  But, Mom, are you serious?  Am I really getting coal?

Me: What if you did?

Andrew:  But mom, sniff, I'm not allowed to use matches.  And I really wanted a toy for Christmas.

(p.s. Andrew is not getting coal.  He is getting toys.)