Musings of a Wench

I'm dreaming of a (not) white Christmas

How is this December different from last year?

I don't normally take prompts but this one is just so right. This December couldn't be any different if I had tried.

Normally? December kind of sucks. All the shopping, trying to figure out the right things to buy, trying to figure out what to tell people when they say, "what do you want?". All the family stress, trying to balance the demands of family, knowing that no matter what you do it will end in tears for someone. Knowing that there is no physical way you can be there for all the time they want you to be there. Trying to figure out where our celebration has to fit around the family ones. The fighting and crying and passive aggressive shit that happens makes me want to run away, every year. The intervention style lunches where we explain our choices to our mothers. The whole mess. Trying to keep the tree alive, and then picking pine needles out of the shag carpet for ages afterward. Eating too much. Drinking far too much. Feeling Scroogey and grumpy and angry.

And then there is 2007! John isn't around, his father isn't on speaking terms with me, my family has blown off presents and we're headed to a tropical island instead! It really couldn't be better. Well, no, it totally, completely could. John could be here. But he's not - he's 11,268 km away, and there's nothing I can do about that. But: almost no presents, no family juggling, not making someone cry (I hope!), not much stress, and did I mention the tropical beach? The snorkeling? The lack of having to buy presents? The time away? Bliss, I tell you. The fact that we don't have to have 3 giant meals in 24 hours alone (each family set insists) is a mercy. The fact that I can spend the whole time snorkeling instead is just gravy. Tasty, tasty gravy.

Also - instead of worrying about to buy lists, I'm figuring out flights, planning my trip to Bahrain and maybe Qatar to visit John. Instead of bitching about the (rather horrible) weather we've been having, I'm day dreaming of tropical beaches and Arabian deserts. Instead of complaining about how hard it is to make other people happy (or at least stop complaining about our decisions), I'm celebrating how happy I am. Bliss!

So, uh, yeah. Note to self - blow off Christmas more often - it will make you happy.

Labels: family, holidailies, solo year, vacation

posted by Morgan @ 1:58 p.m.