my entry for santa's box 

Christmas for me is something I've never really looked foreword to through the year; birthdays and school trips honestly get my attention better. But as the year rolls by and December is already on my calender I get really excited for it. When the lights go up and the Christmas tree is decorated over a pile of presents I can't wait for the day to come. It's a rather interesting thing: I don't really care until it's there. So, Christmas to me is. . . a delayed thrill. The first thing that signals Christmas is coming is when your friends pop the question: "What do you want for Christmas?". Or your best friends: "What are you getting me for Christmas?". I've never gone Christmas shopping for my friends until this year, and hoenstly, it's as much fun as it costs. The majority of what I bought them was food though; next year will be better, chingus, just you wait. Christmas shopping is a definite. 

Then comes the Christmas tree and lights. When December hits my neighborhood lights up with white, red, and green, it's almost scary to wake up one morning and bam! the neighbor's snowing-effect lights come through the window. I carpool with my friend, and when I go to her neighborhood there's this house that has these gigantic Mickey Mouse Christmas-themed inflatables on their front yard. Sadly, that's one of our teacher's house. Soon, another quesiton from your friends: "Do you have a Christmas tree yet?". Or your best friends: "I put my Christmas tree up yesterday and blah, blah, blah-". Looking for Christmas trees is pretty simple, but oddly something to look foreword to. Last year we didn't have a Christmas tree and had to have my older sister bring her mini tree. This year is a miracle though, and we have one all decorated and stuff; in fact, its lights are flickering oh my god-

Last but not least, Christmas is starting to set in when that first package arrives. And then another. And another. And another until they're practically decorations for the tree itself! Giving presents to my friends are also a thrill; especially when they scream and hug the candy canes out of you. 

Christmas gives all these signals and yet, I only have that urge to open my presents until two days before Christmas. Everybody else is all like: "I WANNA OPEN THEM NOW, SANTA PLEASE-". Not me, nope. I'm the calm one in the background asking myself: "Why am I friends with you again?". By the time I'm excited we're already on winter break and there's no one for me to squeal at. Delayed I tell you, delayed. 

What else. . . On Christmas Day we always have Hawiian Christmas music playing while we eat breakfast and open presents; I was born in Hawaii and even though we live in Cali. right now we still have those CDs. There's a camera in the background filming us while we open presents. It's embarrassing to hold up my presents and explain. Especially when you get a ton of gift cards: "One from Barnes and Noble, Game Stop, Amazon, and another one from Ba-". That was last year. More than one hundred dollars worth of gift card money; do my relatives not know me or what?

In conclusion, Christmas is a wonderful thing that even without a Christmas tree, or with a plethora of gift cards, can crack a smile long after New Years Eve. And while the excitement takes awhile to kick in me, it's still there. I don't think much about family, nor the joy of spending time with them; my dad even told me I was aloof. But he also said I liked the idea of family. To have someone else in the house is comforting, reassuring. Family isn't something on my mind fully, but it's always there when I really think about it. And that's what Christmas is mainly about for me: having family around me even when I don't realize it.