Ladies and Gentlemen, it is once again that time of year. Yes, the time when we drink egg nog ’til we puke. The time when we find out just how hard and fast that credit card limit really is. The time for children to once again question the concept of a man dressed in red who breaks into their house to leave gifts or coal whose name is an anagram of the lord of darkness and wonder how the heck he’s associated with Jesus Christ.

Yes, that’s right, it’s time for my annual Christmas letter! So, sit back, grab a glass of nog and a bucket, and enjoy the wonders of Christmas with the Zazuetas.

Dear friends and family,

After last year’s Christmas letter, many of you took the time to write and call to tell me how much you enjoyed what I had written. I received a lot of praise and compliments. To all of you who did this, I’d just like to say DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT KIND OF PRESSURE YOU PUT ME UNDER FOR THIS YEAR??? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TOP THAT??? Man…

Things are decidedly brighter this year. In case you haven’t heard, Danielle and I are scheduled to be wed in November of 2003. This is, of course, wonderful news that has marked our lives with the joy that can only come from entertaining daily calls and reams of mail from various service providers in the vast American Wedding Industrial Complex. Were it not for the high divorce and remarriage rate in our country, I’m sure our economy would collapse like a souffle at a rock concert. To keep up with the whirlwind of activity that is our wedding arrangements, please visit our online wedding journal at http://danielleandrob.blogspot.com.

I am also finally employed, which is nice as it keeps me off the streets. I was hired in August as a Web Engineer at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. It came at precisely the right time, as I was running out of organs to sell.

Danielle was promoted this past year to Sales Engineering Manager at Allegiance Telecom. In addition to being officially on the management track, this new position offers her the unique ability to command and control the lives and careers of her minions, which she rules with a velvet fist in an iron glove. The down side, of course, is that when she complains about a bone-headed management decision, it is now considered self deprecation.

Our holiday season shall, once again, be shared with our loved ones, or, more precisely, my loved ones as we are visiting southern California to be with my family this year. As they are spread out as part of some strange modern Diaspora, Danielle will have the pleasure of being whisked away to such exotic locations as Riverside, Tustin and Sun City, where she’ll dine on home-cooked food (”Um, Dad… there’s only three of us. Put the side of beef away.”), view the gorgeous scenery (Me: “Look honey, my childhood home!” Her: “We’ve passed it three times already. It’s not a historical landmark or anything.” Me: “Yet!”) and stay in deluxe accommodations (”Rob, why is there still a Def Leppard poster on the wall?”). All of this leads up to a fabulous visit to the Happiest Place on Earth: the South Coast Plaza Shopping Mall! Er, no… DISNEYLAND!

So, while we’re picking the faux snow out of each other’s hair on Main Street, we’ll be thinking of you and hoping you’re having a fabulous holiday season. And, seriously, thank you so much for the kind words following last year’s letter. This year, please send money instead.

Sincerely,

Danielle Tokarski and Rob Zazueta