Christmas Is for Family

I am hosting a Christmas Eve dinner for my brother and sister, her boyfriend and three boys. I, like a good host, have spent a fair amount of time and money planning the dinner. We're having appetizers featuring a variety of cheeses, meats and vegetables. For dinner, an Italian pork roast, spaghetti carbonara, roasted sweet potatoes and other vegetables, bread, wine, and beer. I have back-up pizzas for the kids just in case they don't cotton to the dinner I've prepared.

Just got a call from my brother. Now, in a lot of families, or civilizations, this call would be related to what he might be able to bring over for dinner (pie? wine?). Instead, he's calling to find out when dinner is (still at 5!) and to inform me that that's unfortunate, as some of his friends are trying to set him up with a "hot girl" and he's supposed to be at a bar at that time to meet her. He's thinking either he'll head to the bar before dinner or maybe duck out quickly afterward.

Tomorrow, when he has a nice meal and receives $100+ worth of presents from me while giving me only more excuses as to why he is unable to pay me back the money he owes me, I will remind myself that but for the Grace of, and that I would not trade places with him for a minute, so I'll be me and he can be him and we'll all do our best to get along just fine.