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December is a crazy month

School winds down Parties seem to take up every weekend Hanukkah Christmas Birthdays

Mine falls on the 20th, which was today, and I was gladdeal I really hated big deals Besides, who had time for birthdays when there was still so much to do for the holidays?

It was the Saturday before Christ with my best friend, Kate We’d spent a small fortune on each other—it’s so much easier to do e can pick out our own presents—and I had to search for the perfect gift for Gram

She was arriving in two days, and I couldn’t wait to see her

“Okay, I have, like, three bags of potato chips, cheese popcorn, and Skor chocolate What do you want first?” Kate asked

I tossed a pillow at Kate andup on your chin”

“Junk food has nothing to do with it,” Kate grinned “It’s called hormones” She shoved a piece of chocolate in herthis week?”

My frown deepened “He’s working late for his uncle on soht”

“Huh,” she said and flopped down beside me “I have Love Actually or The Notebook”

I glanced over her shoulder “Why don’t we do both?”

The doorbell went and I yelled, “Mom, the McGills are here”

My parents were going to a Christht ahead of us, and we intended to eat ourselves into a stupor, high on chocolate and popcorn, and watch our favorite movies

The doorbell went again and I shoved off froht back”

We lived in a large, co space went up, not out This meant that the faot to thea little harder than I’d like