christmas where there is none.

There's no Christmas here. For most of you reading this, that's unimaginable...there are no carolers, no peppy Christmas music accompanying your shopping, no nativities and definitely no little Baby in the manger. There are no gingerbread houses, no houses outlined with lights, no angels or shepherds or wisemen. People will neither send or receive Christmas cards or have Christmas parties. People won't gather at ch-rch and read Luke 2 because there aren't ch-rches and nobody knows what Luke 2 is. Santa won't come on Christmas Eve, snow won't fall on Christmas morning. December 25 is just another day of the week.

But I love celebrating the Christmas season over here--I love that I get to introduce my friends to American cultural practices like Christmas carols and Christmas cookies . Even more than that, I love that I get to introduce my friends to that Baby in the Manger and Luke 2.

Here's how we've celebrate the Christmas season so far:

By visiting an ANCIENT CASTLE!


My fellow explorers:
The VIEW! Not Christmas-y, but really beautiful!


And here's the castle.
By gathering with friends!

The mall has a CHRISTMAS TREE?! No, it doesn't. It's a "New Year's Tree"... riiiiight. But whatever. It's Christmas-y and I love it.

We celebrated with the staff and teachers from our school...these are the people we get to wish "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" to.

We ate Sadj (below) together and talked and just enjoyed each other's company. I'm SO blessed by these people!

By stocking up on lesson plans in a push toward the end of the semester.

By laughing at work non-stop!

Since it's almost Christmas and getting a little bit chilly outside, we all routinely gather around the tiny electric heater to stay warm...
By making the most out of a school with no electricity!

We decorated our school for Christmas together! She's quite the little artist!


By learning about American cultural practices and DOING THEM!

A few nights ago, a friend of mine came over to learn how to make Christmas cookies...she had seen them on a movie and wanted to make them for her friends on the 25th :) So, we made them together!


Then, I got inspired and decided to make about 100 more for my co-workers and students to decorate together. It was a huge hit and everyone had a great time!
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Spreading cheer!Where Christmas doesn't exist, WE BRING IT. Where will YOU bring Christmas this year?

Also, look at this precious child. She's related to me! Ladies and Gentlemen, my niece Abby. Unbelievably cute, right? She's about to have her FIRST CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS
FROM
THE
ENDS
OF
THE
EARTH!