It’s been a little quiet around this blog lately. I’ve been wanting to write lots of updates about new finds around town and places I’ve visited and novel things I’ve done…But somehow these ideas for blog posts always seem to come up in the shower, or in the car, or other places where it’s not terribly convenient to start writing. And like everyone else, the usual end-of-year scurry to finish whatever work is left to finish, is combined with end-of-year holiday procrastination. Because I won’t lie, I’ve been occupying myself with things like cookie decorating parties, tree decorating parties, liver decorating parties…leaving myself no option but to say, I promise that next year will start off with a bang!
In the meantime, back here, my blog posts that I have written as of late have hinted at how it just doesn’t feel like Christmas around here. But then, all of a sudden, during these last few days in Dar I’ve felt a frenzy of Christmas spirit. And yesterday, Christmas Day, the roads near my house were quiet and sleepy, parking lots typically jam-packed were lonely and deserted, reminding me very much of Christmas back home.
Christmas in Nashville, 2012
As for our little family of two, the Diploman and I, rather than exchange gifts (we rarely do), we gifted ourselves the luxury of sleeping in. We went over to a friends’ and had a low-key but spot-on Christmas Day supper, starting at 2pm, complete with ham that was hand-carried from the States and where the DiploMan was called a “spot-on fellow” by one 70-some old woman. Leaving me very envious of old-timey speak.
Christmas in Guangzhou, 2010
We went out on a long long walk in the afternoon, since we’re dog sitting for two families, and Merry Christmas greetings were exchanged with each person we passed– no matter foreign or local. In the evening we skype’d our families–or whatever families were available, and then we gave ourselves our second Christmas gift of the day and ordered pizza. We’re very easy around here, as you can see. And after our pizza dinner, we cozied up in our living room for a Breaking Bad marathon, and in between episodes (when I wasn’t saying WHAT or OH MY GOD or THAT’s CUH-RASZZY!!) I spent some time reflecting on the day and thinking about how lovely and perfect and Christmas-y it all was, despite the lack of immediate family, despite the non-existant snow or cold, and despite the absence of any wrapping paper or visits from Santa. And then I thought, waitaminute, maybe I was the one not really feeling in Christmas spirits lately, because Christmas was definitely around yesterday.
Christmas in Tahoe, 2009
When we have kids, we’ll most certainly do up the whole Christmas thing. We’ll figure out a Christmas tree situation, we’ll actually plan ahead to get gifts for one another, we’ll send out Christmas cards, and we’ll maybe organize some sort of Christmas party…maybe. But for this year, it’s been quite a pleasantly nice Christmas. Hope you had a good one too, wherever you are!