my auntie xmas...

Just a month ago I had been on the beach in Australia trying to decide if I would return to Ohio for the holidays or stay on the beach in Oz.  I had always been curious what Christmas would be like somewhere else in the world.  I had experienced the buildup to it in both London and Prague, but I had never spent Christmas away from my family.  My family had already been prepared for me to not be home, so I felt like I could choose to stay if I wanted to.  Then I looked out over the blue water and the crashing waves and I decided that Christmas was about something else. 

My memories tell me that you're supposed to wear sweaters on Christmas, not bathing suits.  Christmas is supposed to be with your family and I wanted to see my niece and nephew opening gifts and in awe of what Santa brought them.  And I wanted a white Christmas complete with snowman building and sledding!

With no snow on the ground I was feeling a little bummed about my Christmas.  I wasn't going to be able to build a snowman with my nephew or go sledding with my niece.  But I was able to watch them bake cookies for Santa and set out carrots for the reindeer.  We watched the Grinch several times and to my delight I took them to the movies on Christmas night.  Alvin & the Chipmunks had never been more funny!  My nephew repeated the lines in the movie and my niece just cracked herself up!!  And Auntie CiCi was just happy to be wearing a sweater and hanging out with these two.

But where is the snow?  Why is it in the mid 40s?  This is not Christmas!  And so I wondered, why didn't I stay on that beach in Australia?  Why didn't I challenge myself to have a Christmas away from home for once?  And then my nephew turned to me on Boxing Day and out of the blue told me, "Aunt CiCi?"  I encouraged him to continue..."I like you!  You're cool!", he said.  "Well, I like you too bubba!"  

And that's all that anybody needs to make it a perfect Christmas! 

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