Seeing as how I am sick and tired of writing about how I am always sick and tired, I've decided to refrain from doing so for the length of this update. You're welcome.
With that being said... Autumn is here, and I am ecstatic! The leaves here in Knoxville have turned their beautiful rainbow of reds, oranges and yellows and our shipments of gingerbread syrup and eggnog with which to make delicious festive holiday goodies have made their much-anticipated arrival at work. Huzzah! Despite the fact that -- when I am not busy making lattes, teaching little (in terms of number of years in existence, not size in comparison to me...) children how to make horrible noises on the devil stick, or comatose because of exhaustion, I am spending 98% of my time sneezing and hacking up a lung or two (Sorry...that smacked of "sick and tired." I apologize for letting that one sneak through.) -- I am basking in my joy over the imminent arrival of the holiday season. Double huzzah!
Is it sick that I love hearing the sounds of Christmas jingles delightfully tickling my eardrums everytime I step into each and every shopping establishment non-stop for weeks and weeks on end? I love it. Probably because I am not Jewish. Don't get me wrong. I am savvy enough to know that our society has turned what should essentially be a joyous and spiritually meaningful celebration into a shameless and bloodthirsty commercial event in which affection for one's loved ones are equated by the quantity (sometimes quality) of material goods presented to one another. And still I don't care. I lurve the holidays!
Why Ysabel loves the holidays:
1. Since 1998, it has meant to me that I get to go home and see my family.
2. I get to wear my red Tommy Hilfiger parka, which probably is the only winter coat I have ever owned that truly fits me perfectly and keeps me warm without making me feel too much like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. And, no, I am not ashamed to disclose that it is from the little boys section, size medium. Thank God it's not a small. That would be almost too pathetic.
3. Now that I am living in Tennessee, I can go to sleep with at least a teeny-tiny inkling of anticipation that perhaps it might snow during the night.* This never happened growing up in California. I remember it snowed (And I use that term very loosely. It may as well just have been someone with a very large head suffering from a bad case of dandruff. But anyway...) at home once when I was like 10, and people talked about it for years:
(Flashback most effective when done in an old gold-digging prospector voice) "Remember the blizzard of 1990?"
(Stroking chin) "Aaaah, yes. I'll never forget that fateful day."
"Why, if I remember correctly, I collected enough powder to almost make a snowball!"
"Unbelievable!"
"I reckon."
No joke.
....Okay, maybe the "I reckon" part was made up.
4. I get to go home and see my family. Which includes a possible quasi-annual (depending on if someone remembered to organize it or not...) family weekend trip to Lake Tahoe in which we gaggle of Asians may or may not attempt to participate in various life-threatening snow activities, but always involves a day spent with half of us huddled inside the warm confines of our rented cabin, playing card games, watching movies or running after several giggling wee ones, while the other half takes a trip to Reno to gamble the wet coldness away to their heart's content. Great fun.
5. The holidays mean doing lots of shopping (In my case, probably more of the "window" variety....) and finding joy in figuring out the perfect gift to give to each friend and family member. And myself. ...But mostly other people. Sometimes.
6. Food! And lots of it! And no guilt in shoveling vast quantities of it in your face!! Non-stop!!! Awesome!!!!
7. Also, the holidays used to mean a vacation from school. However, this is the first year since I was 5, I guess, that I am not having a typical school-sanctioned Winter Break. Weird. Now taking a vacation means losing money on a paycheck! Bah! Stupid growing up. Poo. But at least this means that Scott gets a vacation from school and I can begin to hatch a plan to get him to come home with me this winter. But I'm getting ahead of myself with that one. Look for that exciting topic in a future blog.
8. I get to go home and see my family. I am especially looking forward to seeing my 4-year old neice, Kat, again as she has recently just started being able to write her full name. My project this Christmas is to teach her how to write "Aunt Ys is the greatest aunt in the universe and is way cooler than Uncle Carlo" on a Christmas card by herself. And then have her give the card to my brother Carlo. HAHAHAHA!!! Yeah. Except maybe I shouldn't because my brothers give me money.
9. The holiday season means I get to top off each and every outfit with my favorite winter accesories of: a cute scarf (especially the Burberry -- Yeah, I said Burberry. Take it. -- one from my older brother and the one from South America I got from my younger brother this summer, which I have yet to wear), matching gloves, and a delicious steaming hot cup of crack -- I mean coffee. Mmm...using the blistery cold weather to validate an unfortunate addiction. Except that now that I've started working at you-know-where, I'm sure this year's caffeinated crack will be more fancy and expensive. Such as a tall double Raspberry-Peppermint mocha (My most recent personally made-up favorite drink: small cup containing three pumps of mocha syrup, two shots of espresso, one pump each of Raspberry and Peppermint syrup, steamed milk, then topped off with whipped cream, a drizzle of mocha and peppermint sprinkles... I think I've just soiled myself from sheer pleasure.)
10. And finally, the holidays mean I get to go home and see my family! Yayyy!!!
10 1/2. And I get presents. Triple huzzah!!!
* This, unfortunately, is not yet the case as it was a record 79 degrees yesterday. I mean, I haven't had to wear a sweater out at night in like a week! WTF?! Unacceptable!!
Ys;
ReplyDeleteThe holidays are about more than indulging yourself. They are about more than cute outfits and designer drinks. The holidays are about feeling bad about yourself because Santa died on a cross for you! He was carried to earth by the easter bunny, and slept in a manger, only to wake up and see his shadow, causing winter to come. Then he and his elves ride a stork delivering jack-o-lanterns to ward off tooth decay. Finally, in the winter time, Santa teams up with the 3 wise men in a long journey to find the 12 reindeer, and save Christmas. Santa does this EVERY YEAR, just for you, sinner. Even on the FOGGY Christams eves, Ysabel.
And all you can do is wax whymsical about how you love your family? Geez. The story of Christmas/Kwanza/Hanukkah is a clear message that Santa loves you and wants you to stop touching yourself in an impure manner.
Yay! You updated! I was a little sad this past week, I have to say. :)
ReplyDeleteYou guys have eggnog? Wow. We're only still on pumpkin spice, even though Santa's house has been built in the food court and all. Arggh. :-P
I'm looking forward to the holidays. We get Jonathan for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year! (But no Ryan for Thanksgiving- she wants to visit her sister before she hits the third trimester and can't fly anymore.) I am clueless on what to get my family for presents. Now that I've actually held down a job for more than four months, they'll have to be pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI love the holiday season as long as I don't have to go shopping in it. It's officially no longer acceptable to take the West Hills exit off of 40 (but is it really ever a good idea anyway?).
ReplyDeleteI do my shopping online!! I don't want snow, but you can have some... ;-)
Aren't I terrible? I'm like Scrooge or something. Bah, humbug! :-p