Dozens of Cousins

My childhood Christmas Eve memories consist of dozens of cousins crammed into a house too small for such a huge brood. My memory conjures up the sound of dozens of screaming cousins jacked up on sugar and caffeine, getting on "The Aunts" last nerve. Eventually one of "The Aunts" would wrangle the dozens of cousins up and herd us into Grandpa's 5 x 5 bedroom. Before sliding the accordion door, they would toss a single silver thimble into the pack of wild hoodlums and tell us to play hide the thimble very quietly as not to get onto Grandma's nerves.  Okay, here's the deal. Grandma had 8 children.... She didn't have nerves. "The Aunts" had nerves, especially the one I called Mom. We would quietly (NOT) play hide the thimble until someone lost a limb or was hemorrhaging enough blood that "The Aunts" would be moved with compassion to the point of releasing us from the 5 x 5 room from hell. Eventually the ripping open of presents would begin. After the chaos was over the dozens of cousins would disperse to different houses for a good nights sleep on floors and bumpy mattresses.  I remember waking up Christmas morning to the smell of freshly baked biscuits and a pot of my all time favorite breakfast food..... Chocolate Gravy..... Once the sugary concoction hit our veins and we gathered again for lunch the chaos would begin again, but if it was nice outside the dozens of cousins could romp and rip each other outside making "The Aunts" a joyous bunch of God fearing women.