I want to wish you a sweaty Christmas

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First off, I want to apologize…I want to apologize for not posting in a while, which, while not only being presumptuous that I am apologizing, in that I believe you actually read my blog, it is also incredibly egotistic, in that it also assumes that your life has been less fulfilling lately, as you have not been able to read the silky yarn that spins from my keyboard, However, fear not, I am about to write things and speak ill of the country that is my current home!

+Ahem+ Anyway…so this is Christmas. And what have we done? We sweated like a bunch of…well…sweaty Canadians whose bodies were wondering why it was still 32 degrees at 7pm on Christmas Day. So…profusely. It may have also had something to do with the camping stove Fondue we had for Christmas…apparently our fondue set didn’t quite make it down, and is likely packed away somewhere in a Vancouver storage unit, and after much improvising to find the many ingredients to actually make the fondue (apparently not a typical Chilean dish – weird), this lack of fondue set was only discovered about 15 minutes prior to Christmas dinner. Well fortunately we found our camping stoves AND propane canisters, which, are not really supposed to be packed in an international move, but whatever, all is well that ends well they say, in that no container ships burnt down on the high seas, and we got to enjoy a nice fondue for Christmas dinner.

After all, this was after a really really hot day. I think the mercury may have topped 35 on Christmas Day, and the sun here is strong…today was 30 and seemed relatively cool comparatively. Getting into the Christmas spirit when it’s that hot outside is…well let’s say different. Canada is very festive for the Christmas season. Sure it’s dark, but the lights are shimmering everywhere, and the trees, and decorations, and glistening snow, and food and drink and all of it line up well with the weather and the festive season to make it very special. So you know, you feel jolly. It was honestly harder here to feel in that festive spirit. Not to say that I didn’t want to, but listening to “Let it Snow” while you are slapping on sunscreen just doesn’t seem the same. Not that I’m complaining…different isn’t bad, it’s just different. And when your past 35 Christmas’ (save maybe one or two) have been spent with snow, ice, and a bit of general darkness, your mind has a hard time getting around how to adjust. You also feel terrible for people in Santa suits…

The day though was great. Maelle and Zoe are just at that age that make wherever you are, or however you spend it so special. I mean, Zoe wrote a letter to Santa and drew a picture of him to have when he came down the chimney, and then left cookies and milk and carrots for the reindeer, and was so excited when Santa left her a note in the morning. I mean, look, does it get much better than that? Maelle was a present opening machine, and once she got a taste of opening one present, she was cruising around opening whatever she could get her hand’s on…so, this meant that I ended up having a present opening service for my gifts. And everytime she saw an image of Santa she would say “ho ho ho” and it was just the most beautiful thing you could imagine. And well, spending the day in or beside the pool wasn’t so bad either.

So while it was different, Christmas was still good. And well, we are a bunch of hosers in a new country and aren’t well practiced for hot Christmas’ – I think with this one under our belt, we’ll know the ins and outs for next time…such as, no wearing a Santa hat while you go for a walk in 35 degree weather. So whether it was sweltering, or shivering, I hope that you had a very Merry Christmas as well, and that the New Year finds you happy, healthy and hopeful for everything that 2019 is going to bring.

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Photos

Getting ready for Santa
The stockings were hung from the chimney with scotch tape

Lookout!
A bear!

Cannonball!
You know Santa loves to party

Fondue
More like Fondon't! Am I right!?

Statistics prove anything
Including you can't get as festive when baby, it's warm outside