Things in the Christmas department this year are looking pretty dim. I called my mom today to let her know that I am still struggling away at finishing up my semester at school. I got a lot of “bah humbugs” and grumbles about how this year’s Christmas is just not going to be the same. My mom is busy. She is working overtime at work. I’ll only be home for a couple of days, and she doesn’t have any time off from work. She told me that she hasn’t even put up the Christmas trees this year. I was shocked.

Usually, she loves to put them up. We usually do two. One in the family room and one in the living room. We have this pretty fake white one that she decorates solely with REAL vintage ornaments. I love looking at that tree. In the living room, she puts the other tree — golden and brown hues. Its really very pretty. I have my own christmas tree and ornaments I have put up too. I decorate my tree with clear, silver, gold, red, and green ornaments. I like having ones of every shape and size. I have a few pretty ball ornaments, but most of mine tell a story. If you can pick the ornament out, I can tell you why it is meaningful to me. Anyway, putting up my christmas tree hasn’t happened in, hm, two years. Everything is packed away in storage. That is a story for an entirely different day.

I want a White Christmas

Anyway, I have been looking forward to going home for Christmas. I wanted to leave by today, but looking back, that was quite an unrealistic goal. I emailed my professors this morning and let them know that my papers aren’t done yet, but that I would have them to them this weekend because I don’t want to drag this semester out any more than it already has been. I just want to go home for Christmas.

But there is something different about Christmas this year. It just doesn’t seem as… magical… this year. By magical, I mean that it doesn’t feel sparkly and bright. There just doesn’t seem to be that warm and fuzzy Christmas feeling wrapped all around this time of year. I know Christmas isn’t about material things. But it is a tradition. I haven’t had time to go and purchase gifts for my family. I ended up buying everything online. Not to mention that I just don’t have the money this year to do things for my family either. I bought my aunt and mom engraved bracelets. I also bought my mom something from Sephora. I am going to get my dad something from the apple store. And a CD, maybe. Because he loves music. And maybe I’ll bake him something. What do you buy your parents who have plenty of money and you have none? The best I can really do is help around the house while I am at home. I might cook my parents dinner one night to help out. Kenn and I agreed to not buy anything for each other for Christmas this year because just seeing each other will be the best present we could ask for. Plus, we’re both broke. I am so looking forward to picking him up from the airport on Christmas day.

So, I guess I’ll be home for Christmas this year. I don’t understand why Christmas isn’t like it used to be. Is it the economy? Is it just a fluke this year? I am wondering, does Christmas hold less of a significance when you get older? It is just a sign that I am now twenty three and an adult. We don’t go to Christmas services any more. Christmas presents get less. Cards from family members get fewer and fewer each year. Baking cookies with my mom is nearly non-existent. As an aside, I am going to make Kolaczkis (also known as Grandma’s slovakian cookies)

Kolaczki

to take home with me. These cookies are actually polish, but they are really just an eastern european cookie that has been passed down from my great-grandmother. They are a bit labor intensive, but so worth it. My mouth is just watering thinking about them. I will probably make them in cherry, raspberry, fig, almond, and maybe something else — I haven’t decided. Some people make these — but they aren’t as good as mine. I am just sayin’.

I even feel in a giving mood. My recipe is nearly the same as this one on About.com: Eastern European Food. Go ahead and try them. My tips for you:

• You must roll out dough to paper thin and cut into 1″ by 1″ or 2″ by 2″ squares.
• You MUST bake using cold/frozen dough, which means you have to work FAST.
• I roll them entirely in regular sugar before baking. Not just sprinkling confectioner’s sugar on them.
• And MMMMMMMMM.

*Mmmmmmmm*

So anyway, that is about it for my Christmas this year. I am looking forward to three things: Going home, Making cookies, and Seeing Kenn.