One More Sleep!

Parker:

This will be my second Christmas away from home – the valley – where I used to always go to be with family over the holidays. Now that I live further east, and just as I did last year, I went south (Washington DC), to my other home away from home – to be with my S.O. for the holidays. As such, it’s a very different feeling. Last year, it was 20 degrees, which isn’t normal for here either, and this year it reminds me of places like London UK or Vancouver, rainy and dreary, but definitely not snowing and cold. I enjoy the beauty of a house surrounded by snow, and I’m also happy with this version of winter holidays. Mainly the biggest difference is that I am somewhere urban over the holidays. After being ensconced in the mountains each year, it feels odd to be going out – to restaurants, plays, whatever is open – I am used to a town shut down for the holidays. And they don’t have boxing day here, so that also feels odd – this world just goes back to normal instead.

I’m not sure which are long held traditions for my S.O.’s family, or more likely, just things done this year – in any case, I just go along. His father’s birthday is today so we’re going out for dinner before SO’s parents head out to a show. Afterwards we’ll head to a good friend’s house – he and his family have a Christmas Eve wine and cheese (as it were, snacks not a whole dinner) and we’ll visit with them to end the evening. As for Christmas Day, my SO will be cooking (yum!) and then we’ll take everything over to his grandmother’s house where some other family, some of whom I haven’t met yet, will assemble. What strikes me, just as it did last year, was how different their feast is – different foods than we would eat at home at Christmas dinner – but just as delicious!

Needless to say, I’m trying to find my actions in this whole thing. Honestly, I’m in a support role: help in the kitchen to organize and prep and then just spend time with the family, getting to know them, just spending time.

The one thing I do want to be doing this week, including today and tomorrow, is to walk everyday. Even if it’s when we get home from dinner and it’s late. I want to be out, getting some exercise, clearing my mind. It seems the SO is on board, but if not, I’ll be going for walks in the daytime. The monuments are very near here, so it’s worth going. I really enjoy this city.

Adrienne:

Oh gawd. You be YOU! So fun at dinner parties! That’s your role. Total delight!

So exciting to be in a different place for Christmas. This year, Christmas is at MY house. That’s definitely different! I’m really looking forward to having some new traditions perhaps. I’ve spent many a Christmas away, and celebrated many “orphans’ Christmases”. Potlucks. Salmon. Once a hilarious rationing of brussel sprouts. And once we ate at midnight, after misjudging how long it took to cook a turkey. That may have been the funnest… house had a built in 8 track stereo ha. Of course it was a run away! Those were the Jager years.

THIS year though, this year is special. I’ve finally settled into Hamilton and my “new” house, and it’s possible I’ve never been this happy. I’ve had my family at my place for dinner many times, but tomorrow feels different. It feels like I want to celebrate. I always want people to come and have a nice time, but for tomorrow, I feel like I have more energy than usual to put towards that. I feel like I want to share it and somehow make everyone else’s Christmas extra special too.

It doesn’t really take much. It’s a pretty natural result of feeling this much genuine happiness I think. I am doing the bonus for this week’s topic though… We’re going to do the Christmas crackers! That’s one of my favourite memories from the orphans’ dinners. I still have a 1″ plastic Pingu figurine on my desk from a Christmas cracker! It’s definitely not what my family will be expecting!

I hope you are having a beautiful Christmas Eve Ladies! One more sleep!!!

Can’t help myself…

Do the Pingu, Pingu!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJlWLVgozVs

So much joy!