You can plan on me.

Please have snow, and mistletoe,

and presents on the tree.

I’m back in Seattle just in time for Christmas! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY! I’ve been looking forward to this trip for a long time and I’m so happy I was able to make it in time to celebrate the holidays with my loved ones. I mentioned earlier that I didn’t really celebrate Christmas growing up due to my parents’ religion. You see, around the time we moved from New Jersey to Washington, my folks became Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate any holidays or birthdays- which kinda sucks if you’re a kid.

Thankfully, my folks make the transition slowly. Each year, the holidays got a little less special. First, there was no star on the tree. The next year there was no tree, but still presents. The next year, there were presents but none from my parents. Then finally, there was nothing. In fact, I remember my last Christmas vividly. It was our first year in Washington. We had no tree, just a few presents (home baked cookies, 2 dial radios, and 2 dolls for my sister and me) from my aunts on the coffee table in the living room. I was 10 and my sister was 9. I remember us laying in bed (we shared a room), and trying really hard to hear reindeer and Santa on the roof. YES, we knew that Santa wasn’t real at that age, but I guess we were hoping that maybe, just maybe, we were wrong. As adults, we take holidays and traditions for granted, but for a kid, those things are hard to lose.

Speaking of Santa Claus, you can keep track of him here. As of the time I write this, Santa is in Taiwan and China, so 聖誕快樂!