December First.

First, can we talk about how great it is that blogger FINALLY has emojis?? 😍 👏 💕 I can finally add some emotional tone to my blog posts now. Or did Blogger actually have emojis all along and I only noticed now? Hmm...

Moving on, I can't believe it's December 1st! This is crazy. I'm pretty sure I have the same gut-shocking reaction about every new month. Except for September; the start of September was very much ignored for some reason.

Now that American Thanksgiving is over and done with, the Christmas season is now in full-swing! And this year's Christmas already feels different! Normally the thought of the holidays stresses me out. I dwell on the thought of trying to buy the perfect gifts for people and drive myself crazy because shopping for other people is always so hard for me.
But this Christmas, I don't feel that stress! I honest-to-goodness just feel the warm and fuzzies. I've also never started listening to Christmas music this early or this frequently. For the past week I've been crankin' it on my commutes to and from work and it totally changes my mood. (It's even playing right now as we speak!) I don't know what it is but it takes my mind off of the bad and leads me down a memory lane of childhood Christmases in Canada. Jarryd and I even listen to it at home here in our apartment! And we sing along like total dorks--really just trying to doing our best impression of the cheesy voices, and making so much fun of each other.
My favourite Christmas tune right now is "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney. It's so whacky and fun, I love it! I guess that's the inner-Beatles fan in me?
And the Charlie Brown "Christmas Dance" song makes me play air-piano in the car because I used to play it on the keyboard in Jazz Band. Oh high school...
Oh and "Silver Bells" is always fun to sing along to, OH and "Sleigh Ride"!! Gah!!
Honestly, alot of these songs I learned from my thirteen years of choir, church plays, piano, and band class in school. THIRTEEN YEARS. 😱

Also, I have this weird urge to decorate the apartment in all-things Christmas. I haven't, but I really want to. Which is weird, because I'm not one for seasonal decorating. Like, I'm DYING to go pick out a tree this weekend. And I'm dying to buy a furry white tree skirt. And Christmas-plaid ribbons and gold and white Christmas ornaments for the tree. I have no clue what's inspiring this, but I'll take it!

Last year we didn't do an ounce of Christmas here in Maryland because I spent 3 weeks at home in Canada. So there was really no point in putting a tree up just to take it down before even getting to enjoy it, you know?

Another thing we'd like to do this month is check out a German Christmas Market in a nearby city. Philadelphia, perhaps? Or even Baltimore?

Despite me being very much behind on my Christmas decorating, I made up for it in the fact that I bought some adorable red-green plaid PJ's in November. Plus, my Christmas spirit is at 110%. 👌

I was telling myself the other day that I'm not even that upset about not going back to Canada for Christmas this year. I feel fine! This is good!
I'm very thankful for this calm demeanour that I have right now, but I'm also nervous about the homesickness suddenly setting in and all of that going away. Because that's what homesickness does, it comes without any warning whatsoever. Honestly, it's like I'm standing with my back facing the ocean and a tidal wave--of missing home and friends and family--washes over me. I think I'll be ok until Christmas Eve and Christmas Day arrive, when I realize I have literally no one to watch the Home Alone movies with. 😩  (Jarryd unfortunately has zero appreciation for them.)
But oh well, I'm excited to celebrate my second Christmas with the in-laws here in Maryland, and to cherish them while they last because we might not be living here forever, you know? And I'm also excited to start new Christmas traditions with Jarryd that we can repeat every year just the two of us and then later with kiddos!

I'm loving December already!