Christmas Day

Which I only have one picture of our 1^st Christmas together and it is at the Restaurant we went for dinner.  I used to be so good at taking pictures, but I guess that is when I’ve been traveling.  Now I need to make the effort to do it for my memories of events and periods rather than scenery and places. 

I got up quite early to call my brother, Joshua. I briefly talked with the kids and Josh.  Always sounds like a party at their place.  Then, I aroused Spencer by playing really loud music and a big kiss.  We ate my day old Cranberry braid, and opened gifts we bought for each other.  Spencer said Christmas was great this year because he could buy gifts for me and for him, things he wanted but you don’t really buy gifts for yourself.   Josh said the best gifts are the ones that you benefit from as the giver as well.  And I will be the third witness to confirm that statement true.  

We really spoiled ourselves this year, I mean it wasn’t monetarily really expensive but nice, quality and definitely more than I have ever gotten or given before.  Spencer also was creative in his gift giving, he bought me a Nike Fuel watch, Downton Abbey Puzzle (I like to do puzzles, but this one was a frustrating challenge), a couple day bags (one he joke a future diaper bag, and no I am not hinting anything), cook books (I am always trying to find new recipes of things he will eat), cool exercise bands, and a stocking full of goodies. 

My parents sent us a video about the composition of Silent Night; it was written and first sang in Austria.  We watched the movie before taking a nap. It seemed as if the cast was picked local, like they were from Austria. The accents seemed legit.

Then we made calls to our parents, before we headed out again to fight the traffic to go to Najd Village, Saudi Restaurant.  I haven’t had local food besides Kabsa yet, which is just seasoned rice and chicken.  We met up with several families from the Branch, including the Wacaser’s who are the ones who extended the invitation to us.  We sat on cushions lined along the walls of the room.  There were carpets in the open space in the middle where they rolled out a straw like runner, which they placed our food when it was ready.  There wasn’t any veggies options, besides dips so we got a dish with veggies and meat, as always here the meat was more plentiful in the rice than the veggies.  It was also supposed to be a dish for two and it would serve at least 3 if not 4 normal people.  I really loved a dish one of the girls ordered, it was a mushy rice dish with squash in it. 

The hard part for going out is in the evening is driving home.  It has taken us just about an hour each way. Traffic in Riyadh is pretty frustrating.  

Christmas is Saudi Arabia is not necessarily illegal, but quite frankly feels like it.  They cannot sell anything related to Christmas in the shops, even as a foreigner, for fear of being shut down or even perhaps burnt down.  Is it Intolerance, maybe, or just behind?.Give them a few decades.  People in Jordan had trees up and wished up a Merry Christmas. But it seems even in the States a touchy issue to say,’ Merry Christmas’ because you could be Jewish, Atheist, Agnostic…and it is just unacceptable, to many Scrooges around.

I need to mention that I was very disappointed about not being about to construct our own Christmas tree. I tried to make a tree and had several ideas but none of them would work.  One day at work Spencer sent me a text telling me he had a surprise for me when I got home.  I was so excited, I guess what he had done. When I got home, I went into the TV/Living room to find Spencer had bought and decorated a tree, with a skirt and everything.  He made my day!  I have such a great husband.

I was lucky enough to be on the schedule which gave me Christmas Eve and Day off, but in turn I worked New Year’s Eve and Day.  Even so I was never a huge fan of New Year’s Eve, mainly just another reason for people to party and get exceptionally drunk. 

Spencer and I have some friends with 5 children whom invited us, a few single sisters, and a Taiwanese woman with her kids to their house on Christmas Eve.  Celebrating is always better with children, and it wasn’t quite as hard being away from our families, and yet that also has something to do with the fact that Spencer is my family and having him is really all that I need. 

I spent the day cooking up a storm, I even prepared our dishes for the next day so I wouldn’t have to be in the kitchen cooking on Christmas.  I made French bread, Yummy Potatoes, Vegetable Pot Pie, Cranberry Apple Braid, Corn Squash & Sweet Potato Chowder, and a Lentil Sheppard’s Pie.  Yes, I was overwhelmed. But since Spencer doesn’t eat meat I wanted him to have something to eat.  We also bought Ben & Jerry’s, and the Traditional Christmas  ***.  (If you think about it for a few minutes you may figure out what *** is)

We headed over to the Wacaser’s mid-day, with a loaded SUV.  It was a nice day playing games, chatting, piecing, and finally enjoying the big dinner feast.  We later acted out the Nativity, with only one girl it was easy who would be Mary, there was no fighting over that. We had Shepherd’s and Wise Men dressed in Thobes, and Mary in an Abaya.  It was quite a scene. 

One thing I was touched by and I like this tradition that the Wacaser’s shared with us is gift giving.  Brent talked about one of the reasons we give gifts to one another is because the Wise Men brought gifts to Jesus, and they had a little something for all of us there.  It was very thoughtful and thought provoking, I just never thought about a good and spiritual reason that gifts were passed about but that is a good way of teaching Children.  The girls got lotion and chocolate, and the boys got nerf guns, which a nerf fight insued.