The 11 minutes of Christmas
This morning marks a first for me. I completed my normal weekend morning routine--wake up in a quiet apartment, check my emails, make some toast, watch some English news...but its Christmas--a morning that is usually unusual. Normally abnormal. Ordinarily extraordinary. I am careful not to use the a-word (alone) because this is not a pity party, it's Christmas... and I have learned a valuable lesson this season: Christmas is what you make it.
Allow me to explain:
When you are surrounded by your family, familiar Christmas ornaments and comfort foods, you are on the Christmas escalator. Around here, there is a lot of talk about Christmas----with your students and other foriegners, but you can't see Christmas. And you definitely can't smell it. So you don't really know what is going to happen when that big day comes. And then it hit it me, if you want a special Christmas so far from home, you have to walk up the stairs. Are you still with me? There is no escalator to take you there, so you best start walking or you will still be on the ground floor come Christmas Eve--and you will probably just be cold.
We consolidated all of our Christmas accouterments to create a Christmas scene where I can sit by the light of the desk lamp and have a cold bag of milk. Last night, we went out for Peking Duck and tonight we will attend a party where hot buttered rum and fudge is promised.
Along the stairway, there have been some nice surprises. Less than an hour ago, I was buttering some toast when the phone jingled. On the other end my family was singing (!) and what followed was eleven minutes of concentrated Christmas bliss by way of speaker phone. Mom, Jake, Aunt Terri, Uncle Randy, Uncle Gary and even Tui painted a picture of Christmas at the lake and as the seconds on the phone card curtailed I hurriedly tried to drink in the experience. And when the last goodbyes were sung through the waves and wires, I stood with the phone on my ear for a few more seconds--my heart still leaping and bounding and my mind sifting back through the joyful cloud--I believe antlers and twice baked (or double stuffed) potatoes were somehow involved.
When Josh gets home from work (in thirty minutes), we will lean up against the wall next to the Christmas tree and open presents! His phone-call Christmas is scheduled to take place shortly after his homecoming.
So I guess you could say that this year we made our Christmas from concentrate. Its not as good as homestyle or extra pulp, but its slides down pret-ty nice.
And then, of course, there will be French toast. And most likely (okay, definitely) some dark chocolate too. Can't complaaain.........can't complain.
Allow me to explain:
When you are surrounded by your family, familiar Christmas ornaments and comfort foods, you are on the Christmas escalator. Around here, there is a lot of talk about Christmas----with your students and other foriegners, but you can't see Christmas. And you definitely can't smell it. So you don't really know what is going to happen when that big day comes. And then it hit it me, if you want a special Christmas so far from home, you have to walk up the stairs. Are you still with me? There is no escalator to take you there, so you best start walking or you will still be on the ground floor come Christmas Eve--and you will probably just be cold.
We consolidated all of our Christmas accouterments to create a Christmas scene where I can sit by the light of the desk lamp and have a cold bag of milk. Last night, we went out for Peking Duck and tonight we will attend a party where hot buttered rum and fudge is promised.
Along the stairway, there have been some nice surprises. Less than an hour ago, I was buttering some toast when the phone jingled. On the other end my family was singing (!) and what followed was eleven minutes of concentrated Christmas bliss by way of speaker phone. Mom, Jake, Aunt Terri, Uncle Randy, Uncle Gary and even Tui painted a picture of Christmas at the lake and as the seconds on the phone card curtailed I hurriedly tried to drink in the experience. And when the last goodbyes were sung through the waves and wires, I stood with the phone on my ear for a few more seconds--my heart still leaping and bounding and my mind sifting back through the joyful cloud--I believe antlers and twice baked (or double stuffed) potatoes were somehow involved.
When Josh gets home from work (in thirty minutes), we will lean up against the wall next to the Christmas tree and open presents! His phone-call Christmas is scheduled to take place shortly after his homecoming.
So I guess you could say that this year we made our Christmas from concentrate. Its not as good as homestyle or extra pulp, but its slides down pret-ty nice.
And then, of course, there will be French toast. And most likely (okay, definitely) some dark chocolate too. Can't complaaain.........can't complain.
posted by B | 4:26 PM
2 Comments:
Wishing for you a Joy Fully Christmas and a happy everyday!
Eyes sparkle brightly with friend of snow and holiday!
At least, I think that's what I remember them saying in China.
Happy Holidays!
The most happiest of new years Plus I am now a Besty blog reader
Uncle Gary
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