12.25.2010
My first Brazilian Christmas
Ok, where do I even start? So the day is like every other. I wake up and it doesn’t feel special it doesn’t feel like Christmas Eve, you know the night before Christmas. Remember I don’t even get past Good Morning and a few other conversations around here so I did not know if anything was going to happen today. I usually sit on the porch at the large Granite picnic table by the BBQ and write on my computer, this is where I spend a lot of my down time. Two things on this subject, 1st Christmas is a feeling for me. It is a time of the year when everything is decorated and holiday music is everywhere. I love Christmas music. I usually buy a new Christmas CD for me and the kids Early November and if it is really good we listen to it till March. I love the feeling of Christmas. There is a feeling in the air, the first snow fall, the right to make Chili whenever I think about it, the Christmas lights down town. What a feeling, however with this feeling there is the 2nd thing, it is also a season for spending too much money, overly high and dramatic expectations and seeing family who you choose to only see one time a year. Then there is the guilt of overspending, not buying enough and the rush to buy. Now we are getting into my Consumption problem, so let us move on.
Oh, Christmas Eve in Brasil. So, I am sitting at my compute with Ben and I am asked 3 times if I want to go to take a shower. I’m like, uh No! I take my shower right before bed because here you sleep in somewhat of sauna conditions. Then here comes Rodrigo, Fresh and Clean. It is like 9pm now and the kids are getting hungry. Rodrigo says why don’t you get freshened up for dinner. Still in the dark, I start to wonder why? Of course people are arriving and changing for Christmas dinner. The women are in nice dresses; even my son has cologne on. Ok so I get ready and by 10, we are sitting down for an amazing dinner. Like a 3 Chicken dinner, the wine comes out and I run for the shower. I decide to bring down my Xmas music and camera and really enjoy myself. They even had a toast to my first Xmas in Brasil. I guess I did see the ladies making dishes all week that we never ate.
Today we woke and had a BBQ, Santa did not come but last night the kids got a gift from their Aunt. Thank god they didn’t ask. I guess I did feel a little guilty about not carrying on that tradition but it did feel good to not have to buy anything this year. We are having a “secret amigo exchange” for New Years and this I know is going to be a big deal. I will try to be prepared. Happy Christmas!
