Kathys kind of evil

In a heartbreaking sequence, the Gorgas drag their kids away from their cousins, promising everyone that they will all get together during the week.
The Gorgas arrive at the Wakile’s house and Melissa comments that she feels more comfortable with this part of Joe Gorga’s family. Not surprising, considering no one there appears to be calling her   eve isk“raccoon eyes” or “a witch,” as Joe Giudice was filmed doing last week.
“…Right now, maybe Teresa’s plate is just entirely too full to put things in the past and move forward,” Kathy Wakile says. “There’s always tomorrow. We’ll be together then.”
Meanwhile, the Manzo parents present their children with the special (and expensive) bracelets they bought, with links representing each member of the family. Lauren Manzo bursts into tears as Caroline Manzo says the bracelets are a reminder to “never ever, ever forget where they came from.”
The rest of the episode takes the audience through Christmas Day with each of the five housewives. As it turns out, watching other people open presents on Christmas morning is about as exciting as watching traffic pass on Interstate 80.
One beautiful moment takes place under I-80, where Albert Manzo re-proposes to Caroline Manzo this year using a resetting of her original engagement ring. She explains that when she got married she was 92 pounds, a weight she is no longer able to maintain.
Albert reset her diamonds so that she could once again wear her ring. It is a nice distraction from the fact that her children are not with her on Christmas morning for the first time, although the family attends a concert together with Jacqueline and Chris Laurita that evening.
As for their own celebration, the Lauritas seem to be the only ones unwilling to let the cameras invade their Christmas morning, instead providing the show with home videos. Jacqueline admits she and Chris are “big kids” on Christmas Day, but is soon fixated again on her oldest daughter, Ashley Holmes.
“I have always said Christmas is for the kids, but I think Ashley may take that very literally,” Jacqueline says.
In fact, Holmes has not bought or made anything for either of her parents this year.
“I know I should have probably got them something, but whatever,” Holmes says.
Perhaps both Laurita and Holmes could take a page from the cash-strapped Giudices’ book.
Teresa claims “We want to teach our daughters that Christmas is not just about materialistic things. We want to show them that it’s about family.”
Her husband Joe seems unenthused, however, refusing to get up and eventually filming his daughters’ precious memories from a reclined position on the couch.
The Giudice girls’ haul from Santa includes such non-materialistic things as a drum set, a toy Mercedes, an iPod touch and Uggs.
“So no diamonds this year?” Teresa asks before quickly adding, “You know what? I don’t care; I don’t need diamonds.”
Across town at the Gorga house, Melissa does not pretend to skimp on Christmas presents for her three children.
“If we couldn’t do it; we wouldn’t do it,” she says. “It’s for Jesus’ birthday and I’m willing to spend the money.”
After presenting her with a Louis Vuitton suitcase, a beautiful pair of shoes and a gold Rolex watch, Joe Gorga shows his wife her final present: the completed music studio in the basement.
“I mean it just doesn’t get better than Joe,” Melissa says. “My husband is really helping me follow my dreams. I mean, I don’t know what to do; I just want to squeeze him to death.”
Joe, on the other hand, ruins the moment by reminding the audience that he built the studio to keep Melissa in the home where she belongs and once again pestering his wife for sex.
In keeping with the theme of rings, Kathy Wakile buys her husband a very nice wedding band with a diamond in it because he has lost his wedding band several times. She says he claims wearing a wedding band makes him more attractive to other women because it means he’s a keeper. Are we sure he’s “lost” it every time?
Heartwarming moment of the week, however, has to go to the Wakiles’ two children Victoria, 16 and Joseph, 14. Before presenting their mother with a laptop, they each give a speech about why they are giving it to her.
“We know that you want to go onto your business ventures and your catering and your such and such, and we encourage you to do so, because it’s time for you not to spoil us,” Joseph says.
“I wish you nothing but the best of luck in fulfilling every single dream you have because I have no doubt in my mind that you can,” Victoria says.