'Tis the Season

I was on a roll in November with the blog posting, and I have hit a dry spot. I really don't know where the time went. Chris pointed out earlier today that Christmas is less than two weeks away. I got kind of freaked out, because I just put the tree up on Friday, and I haven't been feeling like shopping, decorating, or any other Christmas stuff. It's okay for me, but not very nice for the kids. I mostly have been wondering why I organized all my Christmas decorations in new plastics bins and boxes, and then chose to leave them home in storage. It's just not fun without my familiar things. I miss the stockings, the wooden train, all the Santas, the angels, the years of Christmas projects, and the fun decorations for the Christmas tree. I mean, really, what was I thinking? One bright spot is that I got to go shopping for decorations and lights and other fun Christmas things. I found some really cool pesebres (Nativity sets), I have already bought two sets, but I think I might need just one more (it is really nice, and carved out of wood). I bought an artificial tree from a family who returned to the United States in September, and I have been buying ornaments every time I go to the store. If the whole decorating thing turns out nice I'll post pictures. If not, then I will pretend that I didn't take any pictures.

Here are some things that I like about Paraguay during Christmas. First, there are nativity sets everywhere. There are some in the malls, some in the grocery stores, and many being sold on the street corners and intersections. It is much easier to focus on the reason for the holiday, instead of the commercial aspects of it. Second, there have been many people who come and ring the doorbell offering interesting things for sale. I have bought a cool flower, a flor de coco, that smells very good, some ñandutí, a guy comes buy every once in a while offering brooms, and I have a fruit truck that stops at my house. I like not having to drive to find some of the things I want, and I like that the people who stop by are friendly and hardworking. Okay, this happens all the time, not just at Christmas, but there seem to be more in the last few weeks. Finally, it seems that because life here is slower, Christmas doesn't seem as commercial, rushed, and frenzied.

The boys get out of school on Friday, for two months they get to enjoy their summer. We miss winter and snow and cold, but we had two winters this year, so we are looking forward to time off to relax, hang out, and play. We're planning a couple of trips, one to Buenos Aires, and a cruise around the Southern tip of the continent. It will be exciting to see a huge, modern city, and more exciting to see glaciers, penguins, and Tierra del Fuego. I read that we can take an excursion to Antarctica for the bargain price of $2100 per person. Should we go?