Christmastime has come (and gone)

Merry Christmas, Meri Kurisumasu, Mele Kelikimaka, and Shèndànjĭe kuàilè! (Though a little late…)

It’s Christmastime! The year seems to have passed so quickly. It just a little more than a year ago that I returned home from my six-month-spree in Europe. Then, we only had about a week and a half to prepare for Christmas. This year I was prepared almost three weeks ago, so yay for me!

Presents I received are:

-A digital camera with a 1GB memory card (from Santa)
-A fan and a tiny Asian tea cup (from my sister)
-A sketchbook (from my younger brother)
-Incense, with a traditional incense holder (from my other brother… er… thanks, it’s a cool present, but I’m a little unsure as to what to do with it. I’ll have to go find a Taoist shrine or something)
-Bamboo plant (from my parents. I’ll call this one Sengoku and hope that it doesn’t die as easily as Fuji, my cactus, did)
-A Rachael Ray cookbook and a photo printer, to all the kids (from my parents)
-3 Kimeru singles (the ones that came out this year – “with you”, “Kimi Janakya Dame Nanda!” and “Junk beat”, from both my grandparents)
-Vampire Knight, volumes 1 and 2 (from my aunt and uncle)
-Gift card to the movie theatre (from my aunt and uncle)
-The Art of Japanese Prints (from my aunt – that will be very handy indeed)
-A new Sunday outfit (from my grandparents)
-An angel ornament (from my grandparents)
-Jewelry (from my cousin)
-Lots of candy and cookies! (from my entire family, as well as friends)
-Slippers (from my grandparents)
-Gackt: The Greatest Filmography 1999-2006, both Red and Blue (from my friends, as a thank-you for everything I lend them. Yet to get this one, but I will get it, eventually.)
-A whole lot of Finnish-souvenir stuffs (from my Finnish cousin. *hugs her* I loves them!)

So, not a bad haul at all :D I’m especially excited about the Kimeru CDs, since I love that man to death and I was seriously afraid I wouldn’t be getting any. Though, no calendar though I had asked several different people for one. V_V I'm making my own now, though, so it'll be fine.

Despite my obvious Japanese media-related fix, I’m still wanting some more. Perhaps I’ll call into the bookstore and order myself a DVD or two. I might as well enjoy myself now, ne? I’ll now have to be saving my monies for a laptop though. I’m just a few hundred off from having enough to buy a pretty good one, so as long as I don’t go crazy and go on a shopping spree, I should have that by time next term is over. :D Hurray!

Though, I like Christmas best for the family moments. It’s very rare I get to see basically anyone in my family, much less everyone all together in the same place. We always have so much fun joking with each other, catching up, and talking, that Christmas is my favourite holiday just to be able to see everyone again. Sure, I don’t get along with everyone all that well, but that’s another charm of the holiday – for just a few hours, we can put all our differences aside and enjoy each other’s company, for what it’s worth. It’s too bad we can’t do that most of the year… that’s what makes this time that much more special.

So, spread the joy and love! Help someone, smile at a stranger, say hi to someone. In fact, try to do it every day. Let’s have these special moments last all year. :) I hope everyone’s had a great holiday, and that we’re all looking forward to the new year.

Listening to: "Junk beat" by Kimeru
Eating: Christmas cookies :3
Reading: Heart of Darkness help packet
Watching: Musical Tennis no Oujisama - The Imperial Match Hyoutei Gakuen in Winter 2005-2006