Dear Internet,
The other day, I noticed that an acquaintance of mine had posted a link to her new blog on Facebook. Being bored and nosy, I decided to check it out. The first post was about the "true meaning of Christmas." The first few paragraphs were about how it seems that people have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas, how easy it is to forget the true meaning of Christmas in this day and age, etc. She didn't get to what she thought the "true meaning of Christmas" was until maybe about halfway through, and when she did I was so surprised I spit my drink all over my screen. Or probably would have had I been drinking anything. I was expecting something like "spending time with family," or "taking time to appreciate all we have," or something sentimental like that, but I should have known better. Who is it that spends all kinds of time spouting off what the absolute and true meaning of Christmas is? Christians. She said that the true meaning of Christmas was the birth of Christ. I was quite taken aback by how fervently religious this girl seemed to be, since none of my encounters with her had ever hinted at it.
But I'm not one to go about bashing Christians (I used to be one myself, don't ya know), and that's not what this post is about. I am following her lead and discussing the "true meaning of Christmas," or, at least, what Christmas means to me. (If you haven't gathered yet, it's not the birth of Christ.) My favourite part of going home for Christmas? Seeing my family. I don't think that I appreciated them when I was still living at home quite as much as I do now that I never see them. I'm not sure what I would have said the "true" meaning of Christmas was back when I was still living at home, but family might not have been #1. I love hanging out with my siblings, chatting with my parents, and being with everyone at the dinner table. I love handing out presents from under the tree on Christmas morning while everyone is still half asleep. I'll even put up with going to Christmas mass (up to an hour early so that we can get good seats) because I know that it makes my dad happy. And, of course, I love seeing my dog again (the big lug sleeps with me in my bed when I'm home because I'm too much of a softie to kick him out, even when he takes up the whole god-damned bed).
Needless to say, I'm pretty excited to be on my way home for a few weeks in just 2 days' time. The last time I saw most of my family was back in October, and I haven't been home since August. I'm pretty sure this is the longest amount of time I've been away from home, so I'm beginning to feel a bit homesick for the first time since first year. I just have to get through one more exam tomorrow afternoon, then I'm headed home Thursday morning.
I wish everyone a happy holiday season!
Sincerely,
Caro