Oh, Christmas Tree

It's almost christmas and we just had our tree up last sunday. It's a bit too late i know, but christmas wont be the same without one. The house smells like pine and i like it. We got a real tree again this year and we were kinda thinking of getting a small one. But when we got home, it was huge! We were gonna get a fake tree but when we went to the store, it cost about the same or more! Besides, nothing beats the smell and the beauty of the real tree. I think Rick is allergic to it though. He kept sneezing and he complains of a headache when he stays in the living room for so long. I hope that's not the case though. I think it's just the dust in the house coz of the construction in the basement.

I am still not done with my christmas shopping. I still have to buy Ken's kids some presents! Although it wont be too hard coz all they have on their list was a bunch of cd's, dvd's and video games. So we're gonna get those on christmas eve day. We dont have a choice coz we only have a walmart here and they dont have a lot of choices. I'm not done shopping for Rick either but i already got him a couple presents under the tree. I hope he'll like them. And for my family in the Philippines, i am just gonna send them money and they can buy whatever they want. I know it's not the same as opening a real present that has been sitting under the tree for days but, i dont have a choice, kay-kay usually does the christmas shopping for me but now that she's pregnant, she cant do it! I've heard that our tree looks so empty this year... i feel bad... but, we'll make up for it next year! Hopefully...

I sure do miss spending the holidays with my family. I miss the rush, the bunch of presents under the tree, the good food and the chaos when they open their presents. It's really different here. We dont stay up until midnight to wait for christmas or new year. No fireworks, no excessive food on the table, no relatives coming to visit. I came to accept that difference, but there are just times when i miss the filipino way of celebrating christmas and new year... Now, i'm all misty thinking about home... i miss my sisters - the shopping and cooking, i miss my brothers - all the yelling at them to help us and for stealing the food, i miss my mom and my dad who patiently prepares for everything and trying hard to keep the traditions in the family going. Now, i have a new life without them, my new life is so peaceful that i long for the chaos back home which i tried so hard to escape. I know it's crazy to want that but i really do miss all of them... Hopefully someday we'll be able to spend the holidays with them.