It must be recessive.

My mother and father are both meticulously clean and organized. These traits were genetically shared with my sister and one brother. Christian and I, on the other hand... {sorry to give you away here, brother...} find ourselves somewhere on the Messy Spectrum. {Just where we each fall would depend on the day and, I suspect, whom is doing the placing... my dear sister's exacting and immaculate sensibilities have caused her to sputter the "slob" slur during a number of heated discussions when we shared apartments.} I *like* being in a clean house. REALLY I do. And I'm trying. The 20 years I spent under the same roof as 4 obsessive cleaners...er, I mean tidy individuals did leave an impression on me, and one example of this shows itself every year on Christmas Eve.

The house MUST be clean on Christmas.

The dishes must be done and put away. There shall be none in the sink. The floors will be vacuumed, swept, and washed. All clutter will be put away or appropriately out of sight. Counters should be cleared and wiped down. Laundry will be done AND folded AND put away. The Christmas tree and other lights will be on, but under NO circumstances should the overhead lights be on.

These are rules I can't put concrete reasons underneath, but their importance is not negated. Usually Derek works on Christmas Eve so I don't have to explain it to anyone, save for Eden, to whom I must explain EVERY LIVING THING I DO.

Off to finish up... have yourself a delightful Christmas.