Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Happy Christmahanukwanzika

It's that time of year again. Time to shop for that "perfect gift" for that "special someone" at the MALL! No thank you! That's why I did all my shopping on line this year. Hurray for the internet & FedEx! It was a great sense of accomplishment for me to be done shopping by the first of December. I feel like I've been able to enjoy the season a little bit more than before.

We've had some freakish storms roll thru the Northwest within the last month... ice storms shut down the city for a couple days at the end of November. And a freak wind storm knocked out power to over 1 million homes this past weekend... us included! Then the temperature dipped to below freezing making our home a giant icebox. Luckily we were only without power for 3 days. It's going on night #5 for some. Those are the people I feel bad for. But hopefully they have gas stoves/fireplaces & hot water to keep them warm (we're an electric house w/a fireplace.)

And with that, I can't wait to get on the plane Wednesday night & head down to the land where palm trees sway... that's right, we're doing Xmas Hawaiian style this year. 12 days in the sun & warmth. If only there were a way to harness that warmth & bring it back with me. Like capture it in a bottle. Or a lockbox.

Christmas in Hawaii is something everyone should experience. It's not a bad thing, just different for those of us who grew up with Christmas being cold & snowy. Down there, Santa's sleigh is pulled by eight tiny dolphins. He wears an aloha shirt, surfer shorts & flip-flops. Mrs. Claus wears a mumu, a flower in her hair & drinks mai-tais (virgin, of course.) They decorate palm trees, surf on Christmas day & are laid back about everything! I know I could get used to that lifestyle real quick! I've never been there for a New Year's Eve celebration, but from what I understand, Hawaiians like firecrackers... or maybe it's just Christian's family. Whatever the custom, I'm sure I'm going to love it because it's going to be warm, I'll be with family & it'll be warm.

So Mele Kalikimaka, Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you all!