'Tis The Season

*Note: This is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to my older sister one day in English class during a particularly boring lecture. This letter was never actually sent to her.*

Wednesday December 7th, 2011 9:46 A.M.

My Dearest Sister, 

Nine days from today, school will release us for a full two weeks of freedom. In fourteen days, you'll return from college to us, your loving family who has missed you so much. In seventeen days, it will be Christmas Eve, my single favorite day of the year. And then will come Christmas, the day that has been anticipated by all for months now. Around here, the holiday festivities are in full swing. The other day I had my first round of Secret Santa exchanges. Tins of gingerbread and peppernotter cookies clutter the kitchen counters. Christmas cards have begun to fill the mailbox, and UPS comes at least once a day to deliver a multitude of packages. In a couple of days, the naked tree with be clothed in a blanket of homemade ornaments from each of our preschool and early grade school years. Plenty of gold macaroni and reindeer handprints decorating the lit branches. 

       This last full week of school will be torture for everyone. The Christmas spirit is bubbling up inside of each and every student. During tests, instead of focusing on the material, all that will be going through our minds will be sugar plum fairies while we hum a Christmas carol. One of my favorite days of school is to come in the week though, and that is Ugly Christmas Sweater Day on Thursday. The week will pass - however slowly - and then it won't be long before you return to us, your home. Then it will be truly a time to celebrate. It will be time to break out the cookie dough for our classic rollout Christmas cookies. Though the best part of making these cookies - other than eating the dough - is seeing what creative way you decide to decorate your little men. One year you had a little Phantom of the Opera (complete with mask), a Pi symbol, and Hannibal (bloody mouth and all). 

      At this point the days will go quickly, leading us up to the holiday. As our first December with you at college, I've got to say, we're all missing you like crazy around here. But I know you're having a great time where you are. So in the time between now and when you will come back, every time you hum "Sleigh Ride" to yourself, think of what fun we'll all have playing in the snow together. If you ever eat a Christmas cookie, think of the tin of sweet gingerbread cookies on the counter with the "O" shape inside just for you (Olivia). And most importantly, if you feel even the tiniest twinge of homesickness over the next couple of weeks, just think of us all laughing around a fire, tea in hand, watching the snow drift from the black night sky.

Love Always,

Hanna