The Christmas Let-Down

Ah, Christmas has come and gone too fast once again. It always freaks me out how much spectacular preparation is put in to this one single day. Weeks of planning, shopping, wrapping, chopping, roasting, baking, decorating, all to be torn to shreds within minutes come the morning of the 25th. Such begins my Christmas Let-Down.

I start to feel somewhat meloncholy come about 2pm on Christmas Day. This year wasn't so bad, we did virtually nothing all day, stayed in our jammies and played with new toys from Santa, occasionally straying from the group long enough to take a nap or eat some more leftovers. Pretty bitchin, if I do say so myself.

This year I started feeling the Christmas-is-over sadness at work that night, realizing that now all there is will be winter for months to come. Cold and depressing winter. Ugh. I get all anxious just thinking about it, and stay up late wandering through the Internet in search of warm vacation deals. Ridiculous.

Maybe the truth is that Christmas should just be a bit longer, like all year, but that would probably defeat the special quality of it, plus with all the baking I would be guaranteed to be the size of a house. No, I think the most reasonable plan is to stop putting so much effort into it, and just take what comes, through holidays and winter cold. It's all out of my hands anyway.

Visions of the Tropics

Every year I survive the harsh New England winter by planning my escape. I begin as soon as the first fall leaf hits the ground, and by the first snowfall I have become thoroughly consumed by the desire to head for a warmer climate. I frantically scour the internet for deals and ideas of where to find sun, beach, and general good times, and by March I am ready to pack up the kids and head south.

Luquillo Beach, Puerto Rico

This year I have been all over the map with ideas for our winter journey, and I have finally become hooked on Puerto Rico. I have spent way too much free time investigating a fun and affordable way to cozy up to this island paradise, and I think it may be our next venture.

I am looking into the eastern coastal town of Luquillo, rentals are cheap, the beach is said to be kid-friendly, and the pictures sure do look appetizing. If anyone knows anything about this area, or Puerto Rico in general, I would love a little advice. Big drink in a pineapple, here we come!

Luquillo Beach

The Frenzy

I am looking at my last post and realizing that not only am I a slightly negligent blogger, but also I have not updated to say that Francisco made it to and from his home country just fine. He might disagree with me, as he was calling me to change his ticket to come home early a day after he'd arrived, but I declined to do so and the visit went on as planned. He flew home jolly and exhausted from the anticipation of the journey and lack of sleep in his mother's loud, cramped, mosquito-infested house. We are happy to have him back.

And now we're on to the Christmas frenzy...

I feel like a squirrel preparing for a long cold winter, gathering presents like acorns to stuff in my cheeks or burrow into a hole in my tree. All around me people I know are doing the same, buying endless battery operated things to make the masses happy. I always feel the pull of guilt and materialism snaking its way through my consciousness, but I buy it all nonetheless in the spirit of Santa and baby Jesus. And I have to admit, I love every minute of it. Christmas is my favorite day, made ten times better now that I have little kids to appreciate the magic I put so much effort into creating. I can't wait, although I hope I can tolerate all of the other squirrels at the mall long enough to get all of my shopping done.