Chez Louise

Unfortunately, we had a green Christmas this year, for the first time I can remember. Well, except the year I spent Christmas in Australia, but at least they had an excuse. Part of the reason for this year's green Christmas can apparently be attributed to our parish priest, who is from Nigeria and had been praying for a whole month that we'd have a green Christmas, which would remind him more of home. So, he was incredibly happy that we had a green Christmas, although to me, it's just not the same. It's hard to take Christmas seriously when it looks like Easter outside! And on top of it, when the snow does come, it doesn't get that grace period at the beginning when it's actually welcome, to contribute to the Christmas mood. Now it's just the stuff you have to shovel off the driveway.

Anyway, at least it's finally showed up a little bit, if only a day late! I'm not going anywhere today though. I'm staying in the comfort of my own home, because today's boxing day, and we all know what that means: crazed shoppers who, having left their brains at home among the debris of shredded wrapping paper under the tree, are out indulging in the full-contact sport of shopping the boxing day sales, driving around like everyone has a woman in labour in the vehicle, and in general proving to be the antithesis of the "peace on Earth, goodwill to men" Christmas wish. At least here in the house they can't touch me, unless they swerve off the road and drive through the wall of the house. Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened! (Though luckily, our house has so far escaped such a fate!)

Christmas itself went pretty well - went to Mass on Christmas Eve at the local high school (our church runs two masses simultaneously, one at the church, one at the high school, because we have SOOO many more people coming to Church only for Christmas). It was generally nice, but I was thoroughly scandalized by the people who went and got some junk food from the vending machines during Mass. Right after communion, no less. And actually the 'communion crowd' was a phenomenon unto itself. Given the quantity of people who left after communion, you'd think the Mass was actually over. Except... it wasn't!! I don't know what possesses people to do this, but lots of people have convinced themselves they either can't stand, or can't bother, to stay the extra 5 or so minutes for the final blessing, which is an important part of Mass also. It drives me nuts!

Oh well. What're you gonna do. So Christmas itself was nice, we had a Christmas dinner with my aunt and uncle and their kids, who just flew in from Calgary. (They're the ones we helped move in the summer, with the massive amount of stuff.) I also got a bunch of books for Christmas, so my to-read pile just got even taller. I need to get some serious reading done!

So today, like I said, I'm hiding out at home and leaving the Boxing Day mayhem to those with the patience (and the body armour) to deal with it. I'm happily sitting here in the fuzzy reindeer pyjamas (that my friend Christina gave me: thanks Christina!! :-)), listening to, of all things, the live streaming audio of Útvarp Føroya, the national radio station of the Faroe Islands! I don't really have a clue what the commentator is saying, but at least they're currently playing better music than Couleur FM, which is what I normally listen to here in Ottawa. Even if 'O Holy Night' is sung in Icelandic. (The guy singing it had a beautiful voice though!! Wow!)