It’s finally here. The moment you’ve been waiting for when the light at the end of the tunnel has crept passed the glazing glass of your car and into the pupil of our eyes where it slowly adjusts like a camera to reveal what’s on the other side. And there my friend, at the end of the tunnel, lays a coffee table where a giant mug of frothy peppermint hot chocolate comfortably sits. It’s been waiting for you this entire time.
As cheesy as this may be, I can’t resist the temptation to dedicate this entire 17-inch space of newsprint to my favorite season of the year: winter. Perhaps it’s the misty, cold air or the twinkly lights draped all over town, but when this time of year rolls around, I somehow become one of those crazy holiday geeks that, unfortunately, thinks the tackier and uglier the Christmas sweater, the better. What other time of year can you get away with wearing a super tacky thrift store purchased woolen sweater?
This is the one time of year that you can skew the limitations of your creativity and sanity in your favor.
It’s pretty easy to go to your nearest local corporate store, say your local Target or Macy’s, and just buy something. But you don’t want to do that. You want to make it as hard as possible for the gift giver. In fact, when my sister asked I wanted for Christmas, I told her I wanted a hand-knitted scarf. Now instead of stopping by the store for a few minutes to “grab” me something, she’ll have to sit there for hours and make me this scarf. Though slightly cruel, every time I’ll wear that scarf, I’ll appreciate the fact that she knitted each individual thread herself and that she cared enough to even take the time to make it.
I remember the best present I’ve ever received was a drawing that my little brother gave me one Christmas when he was nine years old. And last year, I wrapped all of my presents using rejected editions of The Aggie. When my family looked under the tree, they knew which gifts were from me.
Like many Disney or cheesy Holiday flicks would teach you, the holiday isn’t about the glitz and glamour of material things but more or less, the traditions that you keep on making. (And I absolutely love these movies.)
Every year since 1998 when the album was released, my sisters and I listen to ‘N Sync’s Home for Christmas album. That’s right, no shame! No shame at all. This is by far, my favorite holiday tradition. Thinking about this tradition always makes me smile.
It’s subtleties that make this time of year incredible.
The next time when you see it raining outside, take a look at the windowpane dripping with tiny drops of water and condensation. Make sure you watch the drops slide down the glass and collide with one another and admire the smallest droplet build its way down so gradually. Or, watch the way the streetlights reflect in the wet pavement. See the way the red, green and yellow illuminate.
But most importantly, don’t forget to value the time with your family. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful winter break!
UYEN CAO would like to know what are your favorite holiday traditions. Let her know by e-mailing arts@theaggie.org.
