Simply having a wonderful Christmastime.

 

I spent Christmas up north in Manchester, with my sweet friend Hannah. It was lovely and festive and full of warmth and cheer (despite the grim weather). 

The cherry on top was tuning into Christmas with my family in New Mexico.

 Skype is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Break forth, O mountains, into singing!

Here's where I spent my Christmas:

(The view from Grandpa's backyard.)

Nature is amazing, isn't it? I swear, mountains, the ocean, sunrises, stars -- they stop me in my tracks. I can't help but stand in awe. So passages like this have always made a lot of sense to me:

"Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
   break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the LORD has comforted his people
   and will have compassion on his afflicted."

-Isaiah 49:13

Today is Christmas: a reminder that the Lord has indeed comforted his people! 

What a sweet story of redemption. Let heaven and nature sing.

Hoping yours was merry and bright!

 

Mince pies.

Mince pies are quite popular here. Apparently, they're a Christmas tradition. I wasn't entirely sure they were until recently. But I had an idea of what was in one, and it kind of grossed me out. See if you can follow my logic:

This is mince. Basically the same as ground beef in the States:

This is a mince pie. If you look closely, you'll see that it says, "filled with delicious mincemeat." Sounds tasty, yeah?

And if that didn't make you a little uneasy, this will. Here's how mince pies are displayed at the grocery store:

Now, based on your understanding of how to store meat, and your recent introduction to the concept of mincemeat-filled pies, how do you feel about them being on the shelves, rather than in the refrigerated section?

So can you blame me for being a little averse to trying one?

But then I found out that the mincemeat in mince pies is actually a mixture of chopped dried fruit, with some sugar and spices (and occasionally spirits). And while that name makes absolutely no sense to me in light of that definition, it does make them sound more tasty.

So I tried one. 

And you know what? It was actually pretty good.

 

Wednesday randoms.

I hadn't initially planned on going home for Christmas. But now I've got a ticket, and I'm headed back to 'merica on Sunday! So this set of randoms will give you an idea of what I'm most excited for.

In no particular order:

Driving! Oh my gosh, how I've missed driving. It's been over three months since I've been behind the wheel. I can't wait to climb in my car and just go somewhere. And I'll have plenty of opportunity, considering I'm driving to and from Texas (about 16 hours roundtrip) while I'm home. Speaking of...

Texas! I'm not from there, but the Lone Star State treated me pretty well during the four years I lived there. I'm just sad it's not bluebonnet season. Oh well, at least there's Blue Bell ice cream and...

Baylor! I can't wait to be back on campus. It feels like home. Plus, they've done a lot of remodeling since I last visited, and I can't wait to see it. I'm going to get a Cowboy Coffee from Common Grounds and walk the Bear Trail with my...

Soul friends! Well, two of them, at least. I can't even tell you how excited this makes me. These girls are the funniest people in the world, and I've been missing them like crazy. I haven't seen Kim since she left for Namibia last summer (she came back around the time I moved), and even though I got to see Alexis right before leaving for the UK, it's been three months. And three months is way too long. And, come to think of it, I don't think the three of us have gotten together since Alexis' wedding last June. Bring on the reunion. Speaking of reunions...

Family! I love my family. My mom came over here in September to help move me in, and my dad was here last month, but I still miss them. And I haven't seen my brother since August, which is weird. Plus, Christmas for my family means getting to see a whole lot of people. We typically have a full house, and there's always so many delicious things to eat. Which brings me to...

Mexican food! Obviously, England is not exactly known for Mexican food, so I wasn't expecting much, but I just haven't found any here. (Surprisingly, there was a pretty good place in Wales, but it still wasn't quite the same.) I can't wait for carne adovada, chips and salsa, tortillas, refried beans, and guacamole...Tomasita's here I come!

And finally, the scenery! I miss stars and sunsets and wide open spaces (cue Dixie Chicks...), and I can't wait to be back home in the fair state of New Mexico.

In case you can't tell, I'm really excited. And while I've always loved it, this song has never meant so much to me:

Snowman cookies.

Baking 40ish cookies = a productive day, right? Okay, good. Because that's what I did yesterday.

They were just standard sugar cookies that I iced to look like melting snowmen.* It was a nice break from uni work.

They're festive and fun. And they're really simple. Here's how to do it:

1. Bake some sugar cookies. They don't need to be perfectly round. Actually, it's better if they're kind of misshapen. They're supposed to be puddles, after all. 

2. Whip up some icing. Once the cookies have cooled, ice the cookies, making sure to let the icing drip over a bit. Microwave some marshmallows. There are three things to remember if you don't want to end up with a sticky mess: (1) Grease the plate beforehand, (2) watch them closely and don't let them double in size, and (3) grease your fingers before trying to take them off the plate. Then stick each one on a cookie and let the icing set before decorating.

3. Once the icing is set, decorate! This is the fun part. I put scarves and bow ties on mine, but that's up to you!


*I wish I could take credit for these little guys, but I got the idea here.

Please like gifts.

There are a lot of reasons to love this time of year: Christmas music, scarves, family, twinkle lights and all around cheer, just to name a few. But there's something else I really like, and that's gifts.

But it's giving gifts -- not getting them -- that I love. I like the whole process, from brainstorming to picking things out (or making them) to watching someone's eyes light up when they unwrap it. And actually, I don't even have to be there for the unwrapping. Sometimes its best done anonymously.

There's this personality test type thing called the 5 Love Languages that I find really interesting. It's geared toward helping spouses relate to one another by understanding how they express love, but it applies to all kinds of relationships, whether platonic or romantic. Basically, it breaks the whole thing down into these areas: quality time, acts of service, gifts, words of affirmation and physical touch. And just because you give love in one way doesn't mean you receive it in that way.

One of my favorite ways to give love is thoughtful gift-giving. The Love Languages description puts it so well: "...the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you." I like to make people feel cared for and known. So I really like giving gifts.

But let me be clear: I don't mean to say that it's a bad thing to like getting gifts. Quite the opposite! I want you to like it! Because if you don't like receiving gifts, how will I ever be able to let you know you're loved? 

Please like gifts.

As for me? Well I like them enough. But my favorite gifts are the ones that make me laugh or are considerate and sentimental. I don't need expensive. I don't like flashy. Which is why I don't give those kinds of gifts. (Sorry friends who had their eyes on something pricey this year!)

But, really, I'd rather just give them. I'm more of a quality time person.

They say the best things in life are free. I suppose that about sums it up. But I think the best things in life also involve time and effort, thoughtfulness, and laughter. (And, more often than not, chocolate.)

(This was playing while I wrote this post. Thought it was lovely and appropriate.)

Happy Christmas shopping! I hope you enjoy it. And may you not be overwhelmed by expectations or price tags.

  

Wednesday randoms.

I know I talk about it all the time, but I've got to mention my Bears again this week (sorry/not sorry). We had a great game against Texas over the weekend. We were only up by 3 at half, but finished the game with a 48-24 victory. That win put us at 9-3 overall, and we were 7-0 at home. Plus, we're going to a bowl game. A great way to end the season. Love it.

Aaaaand our quarterback, Robert Griffin III (aka RG3), was selected as a Heisman finalist. Half of my Baylor friends have added "III" to their names on Facebook in support. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed till Saturday, when they announce the winner.

"I plead the third."

Back to randoms:

The weather has continued to be crazy good. It's snowing all over the place back home, but we've had blue skies. Yes, it's cold, but it's totally bearable. And it gives me an excuse to bust out my favorite hats and scarves.

I've pretty much had Christmas music on constantly for the past week. I made a Spotify playlist that I'm in love with (though my flatmates probably hate by now). It includes this, this and this, to name a few.

Something a couple other Americans and I talked about recently was walking. We do it a lot here. But it can get confusing, because we're still not entirely sure what side to stay to. We figure we're supposed to stay left, since that's how they drive. But there are so many international people here that there's really no rhyme or reason. As a result, stairs can get really complicated.

Finally, I continue to be the American representative in my classes. One in particular has been pretty awkward as of late. The last couple of weeks, we've focused on globalization -- American cultural imperialism in particular. As usual, I'm expected to have some insight, but really I just keep feeling the need to apologize since my country is apparently deliberately and systematically destroying other countries' traditions and national identities in everything from food to music. I'm sorry there are McDonalds in the Himalayas, okay? I didn't do it!

Happy Wednesday, friends.