It’s here…the Christmas season.
Lovely cooler weather (in the 80s for me), Christmas lights on the street (hanging light garlands on two main streets in town), delicious smelling Yankee candles (from America my parents sent me), and thoughts of home, White Christmas with Bing, and decorating the tree. Sigh….lovely Christmas.
Don’t know what it is exactly about this season…but nearly everyone loves it. I know…there are always the negative things like snow storms and materialism and overeating and and and…but honestly…I think the “good’s” outweigh the “bad’s.”
This year…I broke tradition a bit. Usually I listen to Christmas music on Thanksgiving day, or the night before. I hold out all through October and November, while everyone else starts listening to “Silent Night” on Halloween…not me. I force myself to wait…sometimes it’s hard…but in the end it’s all worth it. Well, this year…I lost control. It’s true…I faltered. I listened to Charlie Brown and Sarah Groves’ Christmas album and a special mix CD a friend of mine sent me…a whole week before Thanksgiving. I couldn’t help myself…the CD was in my hands…the new Christmas candles were on my table…hot cocoa was in my mug…I had the fan on so it was cool on my couch…I just couldn’t say no.
So I caved.
Thanksgiving day was great. I got to spend all day with a family…then cooked some great food (that actually turned out!) and we had about 18 people there for dinner. Afterward we sang some carols while one of the ladies played on the out-of-tune piano (somehow it was kind of classic-y out of tune…it didn’t sound bad even though it was off). Then we helped put up the family’s tree. A good day.
Granted, I did miss home. This was the first Thanksgiving away from family. It was different, for sure, but I was also so reminded how thankful I really am, and need to be, for my loved ones. They are so very dear and special.
Maybe that is the key ingredient for this season. Family. Memories. Loved ones. Traditions. I don’t know…but it is indeed my favorite and generally seems to be “the most wonderful time of the year.”
Loving and missing you all…but grateful for my time I’m given here…
Posted in Thailand
But in a few years you will be singing, “I’m dreaming of a green Christmas….” Our version included “..just like the ones I knew in Nam. Where the children giggle and shrapnel whistles and Santa sweats down to his toes.”
Think of you often.
Much love,
C’Anne