Fill in the Blank Friday - Christmas edition

My sister and I being silly - Christmas 2006

1. Holiday spirit sure is a big deal in the movies, but it doesn't play much into my everyday December life.  It seems like a fluffy idea to me right now, but I'm open to change.

2. The holidays are incomplete without serious family time.  We do so much together, and my sister and I have our own things we do together.  It's essential.

3. My favorite thing to do around the holidays is allowing the beauty and mystery of Advent really sink in.  Through His mercy and grace, God gives me the gift of understanding, life-stopping understanding, each December, and it's wonderful.  Not that I don't get these goosebumps during other parts of the year, but Christmas time makes it a bit more special to me.

4. A holiday tradition my family and I have is having homemade pizza and egg nog for dinner on Christmas Eve before watching A Charlie Brown Christmas.  We also go to the same Christmas tree farm every year where we buy boiled peanuts, roast marshmallows, hold bunnies, and walk around the lake there.  It's a fun time.  Another tradition I have with my sister is decorating the tree while listening to our own brand of non-traditional Christmas music: Relient K's earlier albums and bagpipe music.  We started this in 2006, and it's here forever.

5. Holiday music is best in moderation.  The traditional stuff, at least.  My go-to holiday music sounds like the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas, those jazzy, chill sounds.  Jars of Clay has a good Christmas album, too, and Sufjan Stevens' stuff is always good.

6. This year I'll be spending the holidays at home with my family and then at work.

7. Christmas wish list: I got many fine things for my birthday, I feel sheepish asking for anything else, and, I can't think of much else that I would like to have.  My books-to-read list is getting long, but that's all I can think of.

Oh, goodness.  I don't sound too much like a humbug, do I?  My enthusiasm is so small compared to other people's, but I think I can attribute that to how this is a very different Christmas than my other 21.  This is my first time without a Christmas Break, my work time working full time, my first time without any Christmas banquets, Christmas parties, and dorm hall gift exchanges.  Now is the time to set out with new traditions, eh?