Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmastime Is Here

I reckon I wouldn't post at all if this weren't my main means of communication with most of you. With the holiday speedily approaching, I realize that I have never begun the tradition of sending out Christmas cards. It's kind of the grown-up thing to do. How many of you send out Christmas correspondence? Letters? Cards? Emails?

Well, I sadly won't have time to start any new Christmas traditions this week. I'm planning to drive home to Tennessee on Friday night, which means I have approximately two more nights in Maryland. And hardly any Christmas shopping is finished.

One of those nights, Thursday night, is our school Christmas concert. I signed up to be a student monitor. Last year, that involved sitting in the theater with the students and making sure they behaved and kept quiet. This year, with a shift of venues and loss of seating, I instead will be spending the whole show in the green room with three other teachers and all of the upper school choir students. Yippee.

Tomorrow night, then, I hope to finish the bulk of my grading and do laundry and pack. It's hard to know what to bring home for a two week vacation that involves Christmas Eve in Kingsport and New Year's Eve with my grandparents in Richmond and a trip to New York City as well. I want to pack lightly and still have everything I could possibly need. I am no good at planning.

Yes, New York City! I thought all my opportunities to visit were over for a while, but apparently my mom has been wanting to go for a while and suggested a trip with my sister and me! We are going to see New York City Ballet's Nutcracker and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. I even convinced them to see a matinée of Hansel and Gretel at the Met. It's in English so I thought it would be a good introduction to live opera. I'm such a nerd. I am so excited.

I haven't been thinking about college nearly so much this year as I did last year, but I apparently have such strong winter and/or Christmas memories attached to Hillsdale that I've been feeling a bit nostalgic recently. My church did a small-scale production of Handel's Messiah and of course that reminded me of choir freshman year. The new Facebook group "Overheard at Hillsdale College" has been providing a lot of funny memories. And to remind me of Whitley, tonight I made this:



5 comments:

Emily J said...

Huh. I have no idea why that reminds you of Whitley.

Ironically, I don't do Christmas cards BECAUSE I am an adult. My mom made me do it when I was a child, so now I exercise the privilege of not sending them.

Thalasas Nymphe said...

It's because we decorated the lobby with paper stars like that one Christmas. It must have been the year after your graduated.

Way to exercise your adult priveleges!

Angy said...

Yay Whitley stars!

For the most part, I don't send out Christmas cards, but I did send cards to Germany people this year.

jessica said...

Poor Emily - she doesn't remember the awesome stars, but I sure do. Glad you're keeping the tradition alive!

MissF said...

Yay for the snowflakes! I immediately thought of Whitley when I saw that even before I read your post. I kind of miss Hillsdale at Christmas, too. Especially our door decorating contest :-)

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmastime Is Here

I reckon I wouldn't post at all if this weren't my main means of communication with most of you. With the holiday speedily approaching, I realize that I have never begun the tradition of sending out Christmas cards. It's kind of the grown-up thing to do. How many of you send out Christmas correspondence? Letters? Cards? Emails?

Well, I sadly won't have time to start any new Christmas traditions this week. I'm planning to drive home to Tennessee on Friday night, which means I have approximately two more nights in Maryland. And hardly any Christmas shopping is finished.

One of those nights, Thursday night, is our school Christmas concert. I signed up to be a student monitor. Last year, that involved sitting in the theater with the students and making sure they behaved and kept quiet. This year, with a shift of venues and loss of seating, I instead will be spending the whole show in the green room with three other teachers and all of the upper school choir students. Yippee.

Tomorrow night, then, I hope to finish the bulk of my grading and do laundry and pack. It's hard to know what to bring home for a two week vacation that involves Christmas Eve in Kingsport and New Year's Eve with my grandparents in Richmond and a trip to New York City as well. I want to pack lightly and still have everything I could possibly need. I am no good at planning.

Yes, New York City! I thought all my opportunities to visit were over for a while, but apparently my mom has been wanting to go for a while and suggested a trip with my sister and me! We are going to see New York City Ballet's Nutcracker and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. I even convinced them to see a matinée of Hansel and Gretel at the Met. It's in English so I thought it would be a good introduction to live opera. I'm such a nerd. I am so excited.

I haven't been thinking about college nearly so much this year as I did last year, but I apparently have such strong winter and/or Christmas memories attached to Hillsdale that I've been feeling a bit nostalgic recently. My church did a small-scale production of Handel's Messiah and of course that reminded me of choir freshman year. The new Facebook group "Overheard at Hillsdale College" has been providing a lot of funny memories. And to remind me of Whitley, tonight I made this:



5 comments:

Emily J said...

Huh. I have no idea why that reminds you of Whitley.

Ironically, I don't do Christmas cards BECAUSE I am an adult. My mom made me do it when I was a child, so now I exercise the privilege of not sending them.

Thalasas Nymphe said...

It's because we decorated the lobby with paper stars like that one Christmas. It must have been the year after your graduated.

Way to exercise your adult priveleges!

Angy said...

Yay Whitley stars!

For the most part, I don't send out Christmas cards, but I did send cards to Germany people this year.

jessica said...

Poor Emily - she doesn't remember the awesome stars, but I sure do. Glad you're keeping the tradition alive!

MissF said...

Yay for the snowflakes! I immediately thought of Whitley when I saw that even before I read your post. I kind of miss Hillsdale at Christmas, too. Especially our door decorating contest :-)