"it's just like Christmas morning"

You hear potters say sometimes "opening a finished glaze fired kiln is like CHRISTMAS MORNING". That is because pottery is a bit of a guessing game and what you hope for is a kiln load of beautiful pieces you made and fired, just as you hope for chocolate and stuffed beagles and DVDs in your stocking Christmas morning, not coal.
On Christmas Eve I fired my baby kiln which holds a few small pieces and woke up yesterday on Christmas morning to a first: opening the kiln to gorgeous items was like Christmas morning, on Christmas morning.
In other news, working backwards now, I have a house full of relatives sleeping all over our place. Penny still wanted to get up at 5 something today, and she tried to get our guests up at 5 something today too. Let's just say that although I am not yet sure WHO, one of you SNORES. I am not gonna say anything about fish and guests stinking after 3 days because I am having fun, but that snoring sh!t has GOT TO STOP.
One guest arrived yesterday afternoon and one was already here, but we waited and opened presents after dinner. Seems somewhat saintly to wait all day to open presents, and then we all had to play high stakes cards with pocket change and some of the good whiskey I got in my stocking, and AS USUAL my wife cleared the table and filled her pockets.....