Holidays... of Old

I have decided that Christmas is probably close to the most stressful time of the year. Living on the main highway to and from a major mall is close to torture. Forget leaving your house during any hours between 10am and 10 pm. Ridiculous! Not to mention, the never-ending gift giving. I imagine that all the Christmas scenes from the 1800's didn't quite look like this. You made gifts, went to parties, and enjoyed the mirth of others. Much lost is the gathering around a piano as all the members of the family sing harmonizing your favorite Christmas carols. My family has done that from time to time, but it's not a staple. Families would sit around a fire and read or talk. My favorite part of holidays are family gatherings because we sit around and laugh! How I love my family - I can always find them by listening to their laugh. (At least, that's how we find them after church is over.) Now that my older sister is married, our family is larger. I love having everyone here. I know that Christmas has changed over the years... Maybe my view is insane because it's from reading too many Romantic literature. :) Oh well, I guess that I can leave my stress behind and delve into a good classic... There are a few Austen novels that I haven't read. On to my reading list!

The Joys of the Holidays

Christmas. I love this time of year. :) Unfortunately, there are many things that I don't like about this season:
1. COMERCIALISM
2. the gift buying frienzy
3. buying bulk gifts (i.e. everyone at work gets lotion from bath & body works)
4. the crowds (I feel lost and pressured. It may not be there when I get back.)
5. the traffic (I live waaay too close to the mall. The traffic affects my daily commute!)


However, there are plenty of things that I love:
1. MUSIC!!
2. people coming home
3. meeting up with old friends and family
4. fires in the fireplace
5. catching up on my reading list
6. renting/going to movies with the family
7. cooking
8. good christmas coffee (thank you O'Henry's!)
9. good food (my sweet tooth will be the end of me one day)
10. the late Christmas Eve service (you get out and it's already christmas day!)

Reasons

Everyone needs an outlet, right? That's what I figured, at least...
1. I can feel sanity looming as I type.
2. No one friend should be put through all my insanity.
3. My mother always told me to share.
4. Medical school is stressful.
5. I've always enjoyed writing, which means that I'm not very good at it...
6. My friends are scattered across the planet (or at least it feels that way).
7. They also have their own problems to deal with.
8. I'm not that whiney.... Ok, so maybe that's a lie.
9. Maybe it will help me when I have to write another personal statement? (I can only hope...)
10. Why not?