Not Really Christmas

That’s how I felt this year, like it wasn’t really Christmas. In the States, from mid-October through Christmas, it’s pretty much all Christmas all the time whenever you’re outside your home (I can't vouch for what goes on inside). It basically looks like Christmas threw up on, well, everything--lights and decorations everywhere. The Gingerbread Latte and Peppermint Mocha make their annual arrival. You can’t walk into a store without non-stop Yuletide songs, and you inevitably leave with the most annoying ones stuck in your head (I won't mention any names, Mariah). Those smushed-up words come out, too: Christmahanukwanzakah, turducken. For Christians, there's the debate on whether Xmas takes "Christ" out of Christmas. Local performances of The Nutcracker Ballet and A Christmas Carol are put on.

The weather is a signal that Christmas is approaching. It gets cold, hat and scarf weather, and it just might snow. It's so uncomfortable; I feel like the kid in A Christmas Story because “I can’t put my arms down.” Of course, for the Americans, there’s Thanksgiving a month before, so you gorge yourself for the whole month leading up to it. Everyone asks all month whether you have your Christmas shopping done, because we all know that gifts are the most important part of Christmas.

Australia, on the other hand, takes a milder approach to the holiday. First, it’s a summer holiday for them, so you’re more likely to have a barbeque than turkey and stuffing. Because who wants all that heavy food when it’s hot out? The mall Santas look out of place in their North Pole gear when it's 90 ° F out. And they decorate, sure, but it’s just a few decorations here and there. And you might hear a festive tune while shopping, but it’s not a guarantee. Boxing Day, not Christmas Eve, is celebrated.

Christmas at Lake Tinaroo

This year, I did not really have Christmas shopping to do. Oh, I made some ornaments, but not the all-out crafting I usually do. I only made 4 kinds of cookies, instead of my normal 10. And since I didn’t have presents, I almost didn’t get to wrap anything. But my friend Andrew and his family pulled through for me and let me wrap many gifts. I love wrapping presents, so this was exciting for me. Then on Christmas, I went to a breakfast and Lake Tinaroo with some friends. My boss had a seafood extravaganza for dinner.

So when people asked if I was missing my family for the holiday, “yea, I miss them, but it doesn’t really feel like Christmas.”

Last Night I Had to Sleep with Strangers

For the last six weeks, I have been in the company of five to eleven people I met during the "fun week." Some of us split off in Melbourne, and there were six of us who traveled to Adelaide together a couple weeks ago. For the last couple weeks, it's just been our group in a dorm room, which has been nice because no one is going to steal anything. Our group has split up, though, so last night I was in a room with random people. 

Last week, Binx went to visit his aunt. Yesterday, Luke went to Port Lincoln for a shark dive. Richard is still here, but we're not in the same room. Luke will come back Thursday, and then he and Richard return to Melbourne Friday. 

Sunday was a really difficult day because I had to say goodbye to Scott and Adele, my favorite people here, because they went back to Melbourne. I know we'll get together again while we're here, and we plan to visit each other in the future. But they've become my family here, and it's scary when you've been with people for so long to think of being on your own. 

It's not that I dislike traveling on my own...quite the opposite. I can do what I want, when I want, for as long as I want. I can eat what I want, when I want. Basically, I don't have to keep anyone else happy.

Obviously when you travel, you're away from everyone and everything you know, which is terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. When you do make friends traveling, you progress into the friendship much quicker than you would at home. I revealed more about myself to these people in a week than I would in months back home.

At home, I have best friends, ok friends, family, acquaintances, good friends...basically a whole lot of choice of who to spend my time with. Here, I've been with the same people all day every day, and we converse the whole time. I've created these deep relationships that feel like I've known them for years. Maybe it's the introvert in me, but when I become friends with someone, I give a little piece of myself to them, or at least that's how I feel.

For now, on with my adventure!

I Swear, They Must Pump Tranquilizers into the Air

For a few years in a row, my grandpa was unable to leave the nursing home, so my family would go to my grandparents' for Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving holiday festivities. Inevitably, the day followed the same routine.

Get up. Eat a light breakfast. Drive to parents' house. No one's ready at the time we are supposed to leave. Sit at the counter, surly, because I could have slept later. Remember we need pictures to color. Print coloring pages. Pack colored pencils.

Lauren sleeping in car

Leave 30-45 minutes behind schedule. Gah, really? I could have slept that much longer? Pass out in the car for most of the two-and-a-half hour drive. I cannot stay awake in a moving vehicle, people. Arrive hangry (hungry-angry). Get antsy to eat. Why are we saying hello and wishing everyone a happy day? I just want food! Also, the first indication of airborne tranquilizers hits me as I realize I'm about to collapse I'm so tired. No matter, it's nap time after we eat. Ignore weariness.

fun with food

Go to the dining room! Eat! The food is really good, and the only thing I didn't like about eating at the retirement center is no left-overs. Halfway through the meal, remember how dead-tired you are. Barely waddle back to Grandma's apartment due to fullness and exhaustion. Pass out anywhere--floor, couch, bed; I'm not picky.

Wake up two hours later. Go to activity room where they serve cookies and juice. Color. One of the residents would come up to us each holiday, compliment our drawings, and tell us her mother was an artist. We would offer her a coloring sheet, but she wouldn't join in.

Look at the sun, it's time to go! Convince Mom we need to leave (homework, work, etc). This takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Try unsuccessfully to wake Grandpa. Say goodbyes. Leave. Pass out in car. Usually, a second bout of hanger would rear its head. Stop at a gas station for beef jerky and white cheddar popcorn. Wake up at parents'. Drive home. Go to bed.

As you can see, there was a lot of sleeping involved. The car nap is just my reaction to being a passenger in any moving vehicle, so ignore that. Every time, we swore the retirement home pumped some sort of sedative into the air. My sisters undeniably felt the tranquilizing effects, as well, and would doze off with me. 

If only I could have stayed awake long enough to find out if there was actually such a somnifacient...I mean, we wouldn't want any fights to break out amongst the elderly.

Merry Christmas...God!

publicdomainpictures.net

The Christmas of my 15th year, we spent the holiday at my grandparents' house. My uncle, aunt, and cousin were also in attendance, and I had to sleep on the living room couch. 

I was not excited about sleeping in the living room because I knew the children (13, 10, and 9) would be up at the butt-crack of dawn, so excited about gifts, and I would want to punch them in the face due to lack of sleep and aversion to chipper people in general but especially to children's laughter at that time of day. Background: at the time, I slept on average 10-11 hours a day.

Of course, when the time came I was grumpy and wanted to sleep more, just like I had warned everyone the night before. As everyone filed into the living room, each greeted me with a jovial "Merry Christmas!" I was going by the 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all' doctrine and kept my mouth shut.

"Say Merry Christmas, Monica," my mom ordered. Super-cheerily, I said "Merry Christmas!" Then I followed up with a smart-alecky, meant to be loud enough for everyone to hear under my breath, "God!" 

And to top it off, it's on film.