Tiffany and David: Partridge in a Palm Tree

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

It has been a weird holiday season for me. The separation from family, combined with the weather and fusion Hawaiian-Christmas music (imagine: The Beach Boys singing ‘White Christmas’ gaaah.) have kind of robbed the holiday from me. I probably should have written this post earlier, before I got used to the Hawaiian weirdness and it no longer bothered me. I spend a lot of time walking around, and I remember my incredulity at the vast differences between the holidays here and at home. I wrote a bunch of funny editorials in my head, and then promptly forgot them. It's annoying. It's like once my brain is done analyzing a situation, it is erased from my head and all I have left is a vague tingling sensation that I've forgotten something important, again.

This is the star of the downtown Honolulu decorations - Santa's big toe is about the size of my head. You could find Santa in various states of undress all around town, enjoying the Hawaiian lifestyle.

I think that is what I will miss the most (other than people) – seasons. The cooling weather, fires, hot chocolate, and home cooking are all missing out here. I just couldn’t get into it, which is saying something as you all know I am kinda Christmas-Crazy. All the aspects are there; Christmas lights downtown, pine trees, shopping hordes…could weather alone make that much of a difference? While I was overjoyed to spend a Christmas with my sister again after so many years, something was missing. The magic. The magic was missing. That sounds like a horribly cheesy tag line, but I'm not sure how else to convey it. Where did it go? As it is something nigh impossible to define, it will remain a mystery. Thank you to everyone who sent us a Christmas card – they were like little lifelines to back home where there was someone who missed us. We appreciated every one.

Heading to David's Office Christmas Party

Decorating the tree later that evening

Christmas Day itself was fun – David and I started out the day with a video conference back to the Dyer household. I do miss his crazy family, even though half the time I’m unsure if I’m being laughed with, or at. We have an evil plan to lure them all our for Christmas next year, which would be wonderful if only it could happen. Here’s hoping. Below is this year’s Dyer Christmas Portrait. They posed with us via the webcam. Pretty cool.

Then we loaded up and went over to Court and Paul’s to borrow their tree, and proceeded to open our presents. The ones who really made out like bandits were the dogs – flooded with the influx of toys, their little brains went hyperspastic. Many a stuffed toy met their end that day, when they (they being Lily) finally quit stealing from each other and settled down with one toy to destroy. I discovered that it is a good thing Bear is the most well-trained dog on earth – she can reduce anything to little pieces in about 10 minutes, if she really concentrates.

The dogs wait to open presents from my mom - I think they got more than I did.

Watch out, fish! Or in this case, Christmas tree.

David's big present was a subwoofer to complete his entertianment utopia.

The dogs rip into their gift

My present from David

Court and Paul are ready for the ocean! In case you were wondering, that thing Court is holding is to suck up fish so you can look at them closer.

Walkin' in a Wrapping Wonderland

David's new tradition for celebrating holidays

After that we headed out to a BBQ dinner on the beach. I had heard from somewhere that it is traditional to eat ahi (tuna) on Christmas, so that is what we had. Usually when I think I’ve heard something ‘from somewhere’ that somewhere is David, and since I’m too lazy to actually look it up myself, I can always point the finger at him in case I’m wrong.

David and I had bought a portable grill for future beach parties, so after a few false starts, it got its inauguration. We had a wonderful time, and after eating headed down to relax on the beach and laugh as Lily went into Beach Mode, which bears a striking resemblance to Freak Out Mode.

Paul tests our new beach grill

That's all you really see of Lily for the first 10 minutes - a blur.

Here we are enjoying one of my mom’s gifts – ridiculously nice beach towels. We all kept remarking that they felt too nice to put on the sand.

After, we crashed at Court’s and watched an episode of Firefly – which if you are a big SciFi dork like me, you will love. If you’re not, pretend that you don't know I am.

Mom sent Christmas Crackers with her gifts, and I thought that was just awesome. Here we are with our prizes.