A Not-Very Christmasy Christmas... Sunday, December 25

Today marked my second Christmas as 'wife', first Christmas for Pyen Chi, and the first Christmas without both my mother and Mi Nam in my life.

Last night's Christmas Eve was a total bust so I wanted nothing more than to sleep away this year's Christmas. We had anticipated doing our usual Christmas day festivities -- morning Children's performance-watching, romantic dinner out, and then opening presents in between.

I love Snickers, I love him and all his two thousand and one parts, but I'll be the first to admit that he's brutal when it comes to the holidays. He's never bought me a Christmas present, a birthday present, or any kind of anniversary present. He bought me chocolates once for Valentine's Day but it's because I kind of gave him a hard time about it. In his defence though, I will say he's boughten me random little gifts before for no other reason than to be sweet. I remember when we were first dating, he showed up with a blue rose for me -- that was pretty cool. Then there was the time when the hair dresser in Seoul killed my hair and I headed back to Cheonan in tears on the bus. Snickers surprised me at the bus terminal with a ton of flowers.

I just wished he'd buy me an actual holiday present though.

I anticipated him not buying me a present for Christmas so I bought myself my own present -- boots and a winter coat. I'll be the first to say I can't stand Ugg boots, I think they're fugly to the core, but considering how much time I spend outside playing with Pyen Chi I need something to keep my little feet warm. These boots leave my feet sweating... dang!!!

As for Snickers' gift, he's all about 'couple wear' so I bought him couple winter fur hats and couple sweaters. I also bought him a pair of pretty sweet looking CK undies. For Pyen Chi, I bought her a stuffed tiger paw (to go along with a silly game I play with her) and a silver name tag.

For the most part, this year's Christmas was spent 90% in bed. I wanted to sleep the day away but I did manage to get myself dolled up for a dinner out with Snickers... only to return home and crawl back in bed.

I'll be honest with you, it was a hard Christmas but Snickers promised me this would be our last Christmas in Korea. The plan is to move back to Canada this year but whether or not that actually goes through we're planning to spend next Christmas in Canada, either as residents or visitors. I've always struggled with searching out the Christmas spirit here in Korea and I think, for me at least, it just doesn't live in Korea. We woke up to snow yesterday, that was nice, but it just doesn't cut it. I want snow up to my knees. I want to struggle with untangling the Christmas lights and freeze my toes off while I hustle around doing my Christmas shopping. More importantly though, I want to be surrounded by friends and family for Christmas -- I need that for Christmas to happen. And though I have my in-laws and friends in Korea, my in-laws don't even celebrate the holiday, neither do most of my friends (Korean friends).

I'm so over Christmas in Korea. I need a REAL Christmas and next year that's exactly the gift Snickers promised me for next Christmas.