It's the day after Christmas. Joe's at work, the dishes are washed, and I didn't bother to wake up until 1:00 PM. The apartment's quiet, except for the washing machine and the Christmas music. I can hold on to the holiday for a few more days.
Most of my gifts are still under the tree where I arranged them yesterday afternoon. It's not that I'm not interested in them. I just want them to stay there, new. Every year I look forward to arranging my gifts after I open them all. When we three kids were growing up, Santa would leave our presents set up in semi-circles, or piles, for each kid to find on Christmas morning. Our piles grew throughout the day; Santa's gifts would be the base of the pile, then we'd unwrap and add gifts from our parents, then we'd get even more gifts from our extended family.
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| My pile from Santa, 1997 |
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| 1997 |
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| My pile from Santa, 2000 |
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| All three piles (with my brother's in the middle and mine on the left and my sister's on the right,) 2000 |
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| 2006, at my parents' house |
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| 2008, in the trailer |
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| 2009, Fredericksburg VA |
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| 2010, in Georgia when Joe was in AIT |
The last three pictures are my and Joe's piles combined.
Looking through these pictures makes me think of all the things we've collected together, and everything we have to look forward to seeing again once we unpack the storage unit back home. Including our couch. Sometimes I forget we have things like that - a TV and a couch and a car. Just like real grownups!
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| 2011, South Korea |
That's my pile this year (though it's missing the gifts we opened before Christmas.) I'm super happy about my new camera. I'm also thrilled with my new backpack. You wouldn't think that'd be something to get excited over, but it really is since I never leave the house without a backpack now that we don't have a car to store everything in. I'm also excited about the Korean book I picked out...and the jewelry I didn't pick out. (I just love it when Joe buys jewelry for me.) Also not pictured is stuff that didn't get here in time for Christmas: The Twilight Zone boxed series, and a League of Legends shirt. And the newest Stephen King book. I get the latest SK book for Christmas every year, 'cause good book + Christmas candy is another one of my favorite traditions. When I found myself bookless on Christmas Eve, I went to the PX and picked one up.
So there you have it. Christmas pile arranging, a delightful tradition.
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