This Christmas

This was the first Christmas I have spent away from my family. It's a hard thing to swallow sometimes. Christmas time is such a family-centric event. For some people it seems unimaginable, but as this year turned out, it wasn't so bad.

My reason for not going home was entirely financial. 2011 has been a tough year with student loans kicking in and starting a new job. In mid-November I found myself "a year older and not an hour richer" So I called my dad and my sister and eventually decided that I would spend Christmas in Chicago. Interestingly enough, the people most vocally upset by this (aside from my sister) were my extended family, aunts and cousins.

The opportunity to have a Christmas in Chicago also gave me the change to explore new traditions. Growing up, my family didn't really embrace cultural traditions. We opened presents on Christmas morning, had a family dinner at my Dad's cousins, opened presents with Grandma and Grandpa, and admired neighborhood Christmas lights. When my step-mom joined our family we adopted the Brazilian tradition of having a big family dinner on Christmas Eve and opening presents at 12:00am Christmas Day.

Christmas has changed a lot since I was little. It's no surprise to me that it changed once again.

Old Traditions:
1. I made gingerbread and molasses cookies
2. I made crafty Christmas gifts for my family
3. Decorated the apartment with an Advent Wreath, Christmas Tree and Stockings
4. Went to church on Christmas Eve. Lit candles and sang Silent Night.
5. Sang lots of carols. My sister and I always sing together and this is something we both missed doing this year.
6. Opened presents on Christmas Eve. I had one package arrive before Christmas, and I saved it to open at mid-night. I cracked and opened it early because I needed to get some sleep for the Christmas services the next day (see below.)
7. Watched Christmas movies. I re-watched all my favorite Christmas movies leading up to and after Christmas. I had a good evening with Hanna and Alison watching It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol.

New Traditions:
1. Had my first Christmas Eve service at North Park Covenant Church. Very elaborate, very crowded (Church  really fills up on Christmas Eve) and very beautiful.
2. Multiple outfits for Christmas weekend. On Thanksgiving I decided that there was no need to torture myself. I was going to stuff myself with food, so why on earth would I want to wear something with a constricting waist just to satisfy my narcissistic need to be perpetually gorgeous?
Answer: I would pull a page from Britain's sweetheart Duchess Kate. Instead of one cute outfit I picked out several different looks and had one for each event (Christmas Eve service, Christmas Eve supper, Julotta Service, Christmas Day service and Christmas Day supper) All of my outfits for suppers were comfy and loose, but still cute and holiday appropriate. I saved the more distinguished looks for church services or parties.
3. As I mentioned in the events above, my church also includes a Julotta in its Christmas services. If you don't know what that is, don't worry I don't really know either and I was there. But in a short description, Julotta is a Swedish style/language Christmas Day service that begins at 6:30am (or pre-dawn) and ends with a Swedish breakfast post-dawn. It is their way of observing the moment of Christ entering the world. This a beautiful idea, but sadly conflicts with my family's tradition of opening gifts at mid-night Christmas Eve.  
4. Sang a solo on Christmas Day at church. I chose to sing The Trumpet Child, a jazz song, at my very traditional organ and choir church. They liked it though.
5. Spent Christmas Day with the Liang-Mead family. We had supper at a Chinese buffet, I stayed the night and had some good Auntie and Emma time.
6. Did some after Christmas shopping at Target. Flannel sheets 50% off!
7. Most of my gifts came after Christmas. My parents sent me a new purse, I got a collage box and jewelry stand from my sister Lydia. Spices and a reindeer ornament from Becky, as well as a tea pot, cups and tea from Samantha. I also had a wonderful dinner with my friend Ben while he was in town.

I will say this: this year was the least stressful Christmas I have had in a long time. If you take traveling out of the equation you eliminate a lot of worry and anxiety. But the best part of this holiday was calling my family on Christmas Eve and talking to them while they were all there together. It was almost like being there.