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Then there was my brother's bike -- THE bike that took about six hours, "hundreds" of parts, pages of instructions, two toolboxes, a few cups of coffee, a whole pint of my dad's blood (that's right, a whole pint), the first aid kit, carpet cleaner, and my mom's halo to put together. And all the while, my brother and I were listening to the clanking of tools and grumblings in the living room, just knowing it was Santa and his elves laboring away on our presents we would eventually wake up to (at 6am, no less).
My in-laws pretty much went through the same assemblage of mishaps as my parents (and, no doubt, yours), but they were smarter by starting a few days before the Christmas morning surge. They did have to find a good hiding place for the gifts, though. I suppose their shower would have been a perfect spot had my father-in-law not turned the water on after the fact...Oops!
Christine Tarulli is NYMetroParents' deputy managing editor, an NYC native, and a newlywed with family on the brain.
Also see: NYMetroParents' Holiday Bazaar of Traditions, Memories, Insights, and Gifts
