Holidays at Our House

The 2010 holiday season went really FAST at our place.  It was full of fun, good things, and wonderful people, despite the disquieting situation with North Korea. 

We officially began the season the day after Thanksgiving.  We finished wrapping up the last of the gifts to send to family and friends back home-carefully supervised by Dash.  We mailed off LOTS of boxes - and we think they all arrived in good shape and good time.  We really appreciate the US Postal System, especially after seeing postal systems in other countries.  

Chanukah came early in December this year.  We celebrate this tradition from Sarah's childhood by lighting the menorah, playing the traditional game of dreidel, and eating potato pancakes, called latkes. 

This year we had some soldiers over - PFC Pelz is lighting the menorah.  We borrowed children too - they always make the holiday more fun - and we let their parents come too.

So, as I was saying, dreidel games and latkes  - so what is THIS picture?

It is a picture of what is behind our vent hood over the stove.  Latkes are fried in hot oil, and I had just finished turning some in the pan when the whole vent hood fell off!  It landed right on the pan where my hand had just been and sent half-fried latkes and hot oil everywhere.  I was glad that everyone else had assembled in the other room, and most amazingly, I was not hurt at all.  The hood was between me and all the splatter.  So it really wasn't a distaster - just rather startling and really really messy. Oh- and about that vent hood...well, it is back up and working - sort of.  The maintenance man came the next day, hung the hood back up, and we had the following conversation:

Him:  Is work now, but no catching pin.  Is missing part.

Me: Ok.  When can you put in the missing part?

Him: No can put.  No have.  Is missing.

Me:  You can't fix it?

Him: Is fix.  Is work.  Must use careful.  Not pull fast.  Use gentle.

So I do - I am gentle - very, very gentle.  I use careful.

What in the world is this?  Well, if you look closely, you can see that this speed bump is jetting a spray of something all over every passing car.  Why?  Well, there was an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease, so everyone driving in to or out of our area had to go over this auto disinfectant treatment.  Interesting.  Really slowed up the traffic.  What a country!

This is a shaky night view of our apartment building.  We are the only ones with Christmas lights - hard to see all the way up there on the 16th floor.  Korea is about 25% Christian.  Christmas, even among this group, is a low-key holiday, with very few outward displays of lights and decorations.

However, this year our apartment complex decorated 3 trees by the entrance with twinkling lights.  They are really pretty, especially in the snow.

On Camp Red Cloud there were lots of lights on the main road.  We really like them and they make post look cheerful and inviting.

This is our advent candle. We got it in Denmark and are wishing we had saved it for our Disaster Preparedness supplies.  Why?  Well...this candle has marks for every day from the 1st to the 24th of December.  The idea is to burn the candle one mark each night.  So we did - faithfully every evening.  And it was fun.  So why do we want it for emergencies?  Because this candle has just hit day 16 - on the 21st!  It is the most long-lasting candle we have ever seen.

This is a beautiful schweboggen - a German Christmas tradition. We really enjoyed Christmastime in that country and we miss it every year, so we were thrilled to open this package and find this treasure.  Thanks Pat! 

Our church congregation had a fun Christmas party, complete with carols and a white elephant gift exchange.  Our favorite part of the evening was the children's presentation of the Christmas story with puppets.  It was delightful.

Christmas Eve always involves a service, and because Layden is a Chaplain we always particiapte in some way.  It has become a treasured tradition.  My favorite part is when all the chapel lights are turned off and everyone lights a candle, usually followed by singing Silent Night.  It is good for us to take time from all the busyness to reflect, remember, and reverence the birth of Jesus Christ.

We were well-remembered with lovely gifts from each other and from family and friends.  I think every girl should find a fur coat under her tree - here is mine.

Christmas Day we had an open house.  We had about 14 soldiers and friends in and out all afternoon and evening.  It was really fun to be with such good people, especially when we are so far from home and family.

For New Year's Eve this year, we walked our neighborhood, enjoying the frrrrrrosty day and these delightful snowfolk.  I didn't think that a snowman could have ethnicity, but these ones are definitely Korean.  Charming.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011