Christmas is here! seems strange to think "happy holidays", when we actually don't have holidays during this season at all. or snow. man, i miss snow.
anyhow, this time of the year specially reminds me of Brussels...when it was just me and my sister, our imaginations against the world! memories of snow on parked cars... of hastily packed snowballs and damp mittens... of warming our hands near the room heaters. Of those quilts...unbelievably comfy and impossible to crawl out of! of cold sunday mornings huddled in front of the TV. of mom's chicken corn soup!!! of decorating a small plastic tree and fighting about whether the streamers should go clock or anti-clockwise. of tiny presents under the tree, cotton balls of snow and colored-in paper cut-outs of holly. of holidays spent reading and diving into that wooden chest of toys. of socks full of candy and presents i never fully thanked my parents for. of steamed-up windows...tiny fingers squeakily drawing stars and watching them get fogged over again. of holding hands to cross the street and tiny boot prints on the pavement slush. of waking up in the middle of the night to just gaze at the christmas tree lights and the glow they cast.
i never did mind the cold. in fact, i love the way it makes my nose cold and my fingers blue; makes me appreciate the warmth even more. also gives me an excuse to cover up without people thinking i'm too much of a behenji ;)
now we're in the last week of the year, and i find i do not want to socialize...i think i'll leave being nice to people i don't know to next year!
anyhow, this time of the year specially reminds me of Brussels...when it was just me and my sister, our imaginations against the world! memories of snow on parked cars... of hastily packed snowballs and damp mittens... of warming our hands near the room heaters. Of those quilts...unbelievably comfy and impossible to crawl out of! of cold sunday mornings huddled in front of the TV. of mom's chicken corn soup!!! of decorating a small plastic tree and fighting about whether the streamers should go clock or anti-clockwise. of tiny presents under the tree, cotton balls of snow and colored-in paper cut-outs of holly. of holidays spent reading and diving into that wooden chest of toys. of socks full of candy and presents i never fully thanked my parents for. of steamed-up windows...tiny fingers squeakily drawing stars and watching them get fogged over again. of holding hands to cross the street and tiny boot prints on the pavement slush. of waking up in the middle of the night to just gaze at the christmas tree lights and the glow they cast.
i never did mind the cold. in fact, i love the way it makes my nose cold and my fingers blue; makes me appreciate the warmth even more. also gives me an excuse to cover up without people thinking i'm too much of a behenji ;)
now we're in the last week of the year, and i find i do not want to socialize...i think i'll leave being nice to people i don't know to next year!
