I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams

While I love spending the holiday season learning about how another culture celebrates the day, I do of course miss my own traditions.  For those of you who have never spent a Christmas away from home, maybe you can't relate so much, but for those who have, you will agree that it's all in the details.  Below are some of the things I have been dreaming of, besides a white Christmas.

The Tree:
 - I miss cutting down our own tree and tying it to the roof of the car.
 - I miss decorating it with my sisters, even arguing about who gets to put the star on top.
 - I miss my silly ornaments that I made when I was in elementary school and the special ones my mom bought us each year.
 - Most, I miss the smell of the tree.  I 100% will buy a pine/fir smelling candle when I come home and save it soley for the holidays.
 - I miss lights that TWINKLE.  Mine only flash here and I really miss that slow color changing feature.

Decorations:
 - I miss Christmas light looking - especially that street near Fred Meyer's that decorates like crazy - every house!
 - I miss a house all dolled up with decorations - from lights to knick knacks.

 - I miss all stores being crazy Christmasy, all red and green.
 - I miss my plastic bell that sings Jingle Bells and a variety of other songs in a very tinny melody.  

Food:
 - I miss peppermint candies, candy canes (mostly the rainbow kind), warm Starbucks coffee in my gloved hand and Christmas-theme colored candy of every sort.
 - I  miss my family's Christmas dinner of turkey, potatoes, homemade gravy, ham, pies pies and more pies.
 - I miss our annual Christmas family reunion and my Auntie Marilyn's noodles and my cousin Joni's wreath cookies (I admit mine were tasty but nothing like hers!)

Songs:
 - I miss listening to Christmas music from the day after Thanskgiving in every place possible - on tv, the radio and every store.
 - I also miss everyone else loving and knowing all the words to all the songs.

Gifts/Cards:
 - I miss making a list for everyone I want to buy presents for and shopping til I drop to buy them all.
 - I miss wrapping them all pretty, and having a huge selection of wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, etc.
 - I miss sending something like 40 Christmas cards.  Along with that, I miss being able to buy Christmas cards in a box instead of individually like you have to here.
 - I miss being able to make a child's Christmas wishes come true with the Angel Tree.
 - I miss opening presents with my family in our pajamas.
 - I miss my Grammy giving us socks every year for Christmas.

Movies/Stories:
 - I miss Mickey's Christmas Carol, Elf, Frosty, Rudolph,  Santa Clause and A Claymation Christmas.
 - I miss that these movies are on nonstop and you always seem to have a tough decision deciding between which to watch on TV.
 - I miss my mom reading a super old copy of the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

The people:
 - I miss everyone seeming to be a bit cheerier - from the supermarket to the gas station, every one seems to have a bit of Christmas spirit to share.
 - Most of all I miss the people I normally spend the holiday with.
 - I miss Ugly Christmas Sweater parties with friends, or even being able to find Christmas apparel somewhere.
 - I miss my mom counting down how many more 'get-ups' we have until Santa comes.  Only 5 more!


While these are obviously my personal Christmasy things, I am sure each and every one of you has a similar list that make your Christmas yours.  So if you have these things right now, cherish them!  If you don't, here is a quote that seems to make it better:
 ' From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another,
  the warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other.'  - Emily Matthews

Muxu from across the miles!
Amanda