Weihnachten um die Ecke

Christmas is most certainly right around the corner! I haven't had much prep this year because I don't want to buy decorations just to have to figure out how to get them back to the US this summer or to get rid of them. My adventuring through Europe has embarrassingly cut into my mailing budget, so a few small things went to the states- a handful of cards, ein Paar (a couple) teeny, tiny packages, and a box to the family with small goodies. And that's it.

I was fretting over the fact that for the first Christmas since I can remember, I wasn't going to get to bake a single cookie due to my lack of oven. But I lucked out because my friend Anja has a gorgeous kitchen in her home and invited me to back a few batches of cookies last weekend. Oh, what a treat! It was a good reminder that building and keeping up with friendships is so very important. The "keeping up with" part is something I have not done a good job with over the last 5 months here. And so, while baking cookies, sipping Glühwein (duh), and enjoying a rather lovely experience, I decided that I'd find a way to reach out to the wonderful people in my life without whom this would be a gloomy Christmas instead of the nice one that it already is.

To my absolute delight, we had our first snowfall here in Mainz this week! I woke up at 7am, pre-alarm, thinking about the fact that the weather report had said there was a chance for overnight snow. As I peered out of my window into the darkness, even my eyes without glasses on could see that not only was snow sitting on the ground, enough to completely cover the grass, but it was still snowing! The good kind of flakes, too. Do I go back to bed or do I get ready right now, was the big question. The sleepiness was lobbying hard for more quality pillow time, but my sheer excitement won out, and I bundled and headed out the door by the time the day was getting light. I spent the whole morning walking around town, at times giggling outloud at how great the snow was. My main goal was to get a few great snapshots of Mainz covered in snow. I ended up with a few pictures that I was happy with, and I turned them into holiday greetings. When one can't afford stamps and envelopes for all of their friends, one can still send personalized greetings via the internet, after all! And you know something, it felt really good to get in touch with the friends and family that I have, let's be honest, let fall by the wayside a bit. I think it'll help me to do a better job with correspondence from now on. The people in my life are too special to not send a "hello" to now and again.

Without further ado, I wish you all a very happy holiday season. Maybe you're by a warm beach, cozied up with a cup of cocoa, or dreaming of home yourself this year. But where ever you are, I hope this greeting and warm wishes bring a bit of happiness to you!