Christmas Post?

Presents or not, tree or not, America or not, sanity or not, it’s still Christmas. (all of those were “not” incidentally). Yes, I write this at 5:38 Pm on the 25th of December. I promise I’m not fishing for pity by brining up my (lack of) Christmas, but I would like to talk a bit more about it.
I wrote a Christmas list this year, something that I’ve been doing on and off for about 6 years, and I’d like to share it.



Christmas List

Things I left at home
-Grey Leggings with Zippers
-Black Leggings with Zippers
-Red sweater that Tamika’s grandmother knitted for me (probably in my closet)
-Black tank top that we purchased shortly before leaving
-Any other BIG sweaters. Really big, as in any ones you don’t use that I could have
-Warm gloves
-Knitting Needles and Yarn


(Hopefully) Easy to obtain items:
-Peanut Butter
-Heat protectant spray
-$10 earbuds from Walmart or Target (long story short, the cat ate mine)
-Mechanical pencils and a pencil sharpener
-Advil
-As many New Yorker magazines as you can bear to part with
Songs:
Skinny Genes by Eliza Doolittle
Ke$ha’s albums
“This is Me” (album name) by Charlie McDonnell
Hometown Glory by Adele
Waka Waka and Loca both by Shakira
Leaving Town by Dexter Freebish
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Bella’s Lullaby by Carter Burwell
Halo and I Hate This Part both by the PCD
Twist In My Sobriety by Tanita Tikaram
Prince Negaafellaga - Introduction (Feat.Starcrimes,A-Million)
Firework by Katy Perry
Mondo by Cesare Cremonini
Pensa by Fabrizio Moro
Insane, We Made You, Same Song and Dance, Old Times Sake by Eminem




Real Wish List Items!:
A piano keyboard so I can practice
New yarn to knit with


There it is. I organised it into the three categories I deemed most appropriate, and it wasn’t until I’d reread it that I realised something strange. Usually my “Real Wish List Items” is the longest part of the list. I usually have to restrain myself from putting down everything I want for fear of looking greedy. This year, the two items under the last category were actually the hardest to thing of. I had to think hard before I came up with them and while I was typing them I was already realising how I could cope without.
It was then that I discovered what should have been obvious for ages. I didn’t really need any of them. The majority of the items were things that would help in obvious ways, such as sweaters for warmth, or clothes I’d forgotten or even peanut butter which (like the concept of home internet) hasn’t become popular in Italy. I miss my New Yorker subscription, but not my Seventeen and Teen Vogue subscriptions. Advil and Pencils just make everyday life a little bit easier and I while I could purchase them here I happen to know that they’re cheaper in the states. And that’s it.
I don’t know whether this emotional separation form material goods is a good things, a bad thing, or even a permanent change. It may be that next Christmas my “Real Wish List Items” will make up the majority of the list and I won’t know what I was thinking this year. Similarly, I can see the pros and cons of this change. It is good in the way that I’m spending less money, and thinking very down-to-earth-ly and many religions that separation from material goods in the noble, pure way of life.
On the other hand, it’s rather depressing. This evening, for example, I am in a dark, empty house. I’m alone, and I turned off the lights to save energy. My Christmas list consists of two things and it would hardly even be an inconvenience if I didn’t get them.
On the other foot, my entire attitude might change when I see my family. Yes, I forgot to mention that, but my nuclear family is flying in on the 27th to see me here. Delightful. (!)
How meeting up is going to work out when they’re not entirely sure where the train stops and can’t call me once they’re out of the country, who knows.

Best wishes, i miei migliori auguri, Thalia