Christmas Day

Like I was saying, I'm glad I have teenagers. They/we slept in until at least 9am, so I did get some rest. In fact, I had to get one of them out of bed, because the other was ready and waiting.
Teenagers can rip open presents really fast! I sat in a comfy chair, wielding the camera (um, yeah, I'll be putting up some of those later...) while they tore through the bulk of the gifts. Then, each of them warily approached their largest and last gift under the tree.
Twin1 first. His last box was approximately 1'x1'x5' (that was a challenge to wrap). He carefully undid the tape at one end and opened just that end of the box, pulled out various bits of crumpled paper, and then pulled out the much-coveted and wished for Ninja Umbrella. He was one happy boy.
Then, Twin2 cautiously pulled his last box over, and tore the polka-dot paper off quickly. This box was heavy. I told him he should read the tag first, so he paused and read, "this may not be what you'd hoped, but it will have to do for now, Love, Mom", and then, yanked the top open to reveal...a beginner book on learning the accordion. Below which, giving the box the hefty weight, was a collection of cans of chili, a 2 liter of sprite, and a large bottle of pomegranate juice. But not, as he'd not even dared to hope, an actual accordion. I asked him to show the camera what he got. He mumbled "maybe later", and behaved very well for someone who must have been sorely disappointed.
I reminded them both we needed to get to grandma's soon. They headed downstairs to play some new video games (not from me - I don't support that habit) and I headed for the kitchen to finish the sausage and scotch eggs I was taking over for breakfast at my parents. A little while later, we were finally on our way.
It was almost noon when we arrived, and that meant I had just minutes before I needed to meet my friend at the movie theater. (I never do that - go to a movie Christmas day - but Sherlock Holmes was out, and I wanted to see it.) I had planned to just wait it out, let Twin2 notice the large black case under the Christmas tree in his own time. But I wanted to be there when it happened, and I had to get going. I asked both boys if they'd found anything under the tree for them. They both shrugged. I went down, and pulled out the black case to make it more obvious. We hadn't labeled it. Then both boys came down to have a look. Twin1 found something right away, for himself, and for me. But Twin2 just stood there. Finally, I asked him again, didn't he see anything for himself? He said, very morosely, no. My sister looks at me, rolls her eyes, and asks him "what's that big black thing right next to your foot?" His foot was literally touching the case, but it just hadn't registered yet. He looks down, and says "what? this thing?...hey, is that a...is this mine?!?". Within seconds, he's tipped it over, opened the clasps, and his face is all lit up as he stares, unbelieving, at his very own, shiny, red accordion.
Both boys happy - what more could a mom want for Christmas?