Wednesday, December 24, 2008

All I Want for Christmas

Remember how last post I said that Boston had just gotten its first snow of the season? Well, apparently, the weather gods decided they'd make up for the lateness of the snowfall by dumping 2 feet of the stuff on us in one weekend. There are still piles of snow as high as my waist along my street. At least everyone here will have a White Christmas, though.

Our anniversary weekend was a great time. Friday night saw me and Yuval head to the Stone Zoo for Zoo Lights with Adrienne and Deanna. I like Cincinnati's Festival of Lights better, just because it's longer and covers more of the zoo, but Zoo Lights had its charms. Such as the creepy wonderland of Christmas toys in cases moving to music. They had marionettes. Marionettes! Why would anyone display a dozen of the most horrifying toys ever created, dancing to crackly Christmas music? I closed my eyes and moved on, not looking back.

The actual night of anniversary celebration, the 13th, was wonderful. We had a posh room at the Mariott (for free!), ate a scrumptious dinner at The Fireplace (for free!), saw Slumdog Millionaire at the Coolidge (for free!), and ate ice cream afterwards (not for free). Then we went back to our room and vegged out with the free movies on TV. And the next morning we had (for free!) a full hot breakfast made to order from the hotel restaurant. All in all, it was a great way to spend a weekend.

I'm heading home this afternoon, back to Cincinnati to see my family. For some reason, I'm way more excited and full of anxious jitters than I was at Thanksgiving. Maybe because this time I'm getting presents? Who knows. But I can't wait to give my family their presents. Honestly, I truly enjoy giving presents more than receiving them because I love seeing the looks on people's faces and knowing that I got them something they actually enjoy. I picked up the "good at picking presents" gene from my mom, so I've never gone amiss with a gift exchange. That's not to say that I don't also very much enjoy receiving presents, though. Who doesn't, man?

And so I'm off to make sure I've packed everything I need and check it twice. I hope all of you have a (safe) wonderful holiday, wherever you're spending it.

Merry Christmas!



Read
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang

Seen
Slumdog Millionaire
Love Actually
Liar Liar

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