5 Reasons to Celebrate Christmas
You're not thinking of hanging a stocking on your door and hoping an older housemate will put a textbook into it. This might be the book you need on your other module, and buying one can be a waste of money. (You'll use it during the term.) And then you would be reminded of another housemate. There was a gathering the other day, where she suggested the dorm to be decorated with ramen noodles. You wondered if this was what two weeks in Japan would do. (She kept on telling about her holiday in KantÅ region last summer, which made you green with envy.) Then again, this was Christmas was all about.
Christmas is the best time of the year. You believed in it, and your opinion won't change anytime soon. Not that you haven't outgrown your childhood, as you often remembered your pleasant moments with your family. Everyone is happy, unmindful of the possible blizzard. And they won't hear "Happy". You can think of many reasons to welcome the Yuletide, not to mention the possibility of a heavier you. How do you love Christmas? Let's count the ways:
You'll take a break from the coursework. Everyone you know in the English Department is not cheerful lately. Too many deadlines make a grumpy student. But you see the light at the end of the tunnel. And a cozy couch awaits you. (The snow might discourage you from going out for a walk. Better lie down and catch up on your favorite TV programs.) But not summer. You don't have an aversion to the sun, but you still remember your previous summer. (There were lots of things to do, not to mention the errands that your mother asked you.) It's time to be lazy, right?
You look forward to your gifts. You assured your housemates that you don't mind not receiving any Christmas present, but you were putting up a face. You wished someone would give you one before the break. You haven't outgrown your interest in Lego, which worried your father. (Your parents gave you Lego as present for years.) If not for these construction toys, then you might be somewhere else.
Food, and more food. There's a likely chance you'll be several pounds heavier when you return to the university. But brisk walking will take care of it. Besides, you want to gorge on your mother's turkey and dressing. You almost forgot sweet potatoes, her specialty.
Watch a movie with your family. It reminded you of some housemates, who were studying film. After you heard them talked about World cinema, you wished they would go back to their rooms and stay there. They were required to study old movies with subtitles, which made you curious on one occasion. It might be you or they were snobs. You rather watch Chevy Chase's misadventures one more time. It's your old man's favorite film.
One does not simply skip a family tradition. Thanksgiving will always be associated with tradition. You wonder if it's possible to move it back to summer, but you can't imagine feasting on turkey on a warm evening.
