Christmas with the (new) family...
When I was younger, I'd always wake up around 5am to open my presents - usually I had picked out one Lego set, Transformer, or video game to receive as a gift. It was exceptionally precious because I couldn't afford much on my $3/month allowance (the only other big gift occasion was my birthday). Sometimes I would get up at 430am to bring my presents back into my room, but of course I'd just stare at them in the dark instead of going back to sleep.
In recent years I've gotten up later, and my parents can actually watch me open the presents that they got for me. Of course, I don't ask them for video games anymore because I have a wife who buys them all for me (including Animal Crossing, wrapped and sitting by the chimney, taunting me as everyone in this house still sleeps). Normally we go out for a morning hike and host some combination of graduate students and family friends for dinner. My dad invariably gets yelled at by my mom by trying to sneak off to Caltech to get some work done while she is hard at work preparing dinner.
This is my first year away from home for Christmas. It feels different, but I have been enjoying myself. Last night we had a houseful of relatives over for dinner, poker, a white elephant gift exchange, and lots of picture-taking. The house was full of good, laughter, and good spirits - the essence of any good holiday, no matter where it's celebrated. :)
This place is starting to feel more like home.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
In recent years I've gotten up later, and my parents can actually watch me open the presents that they got for me. Of course, I don't ask them for video games anymore because I have a wife who buys them all for me (including Animal Crossing, wrapped and sitting by the chimney, taunting me as everyone in this house still sleeps). Normally we go out for a morning hike and host some combination of graduate students and family friends for dinner. My dad invariably gets yelled at by my mom by trying to sneak off to Caltech to get some work done while she is hard at work preparing dinner.
This is my first year away from home for Christmas. It feels different, but I have been enjoying myself. Last night we had a houseful of relatives over for dinner, poker, a white elephant gift exchange, and lots of picture-taking. The house was full of good, laughter, and good spirits - the essence of any good holiday, no matter where it's celebrated. :)
This place is starting to feel more like home.
Merry Christmas, everyone!