Here am I. Send me!: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!!!

Christmas, I love it. I love the time spent with family. I love the unique traditions of my family. I love the reminder that God loved us so much to send us His son. I just really enjoy the holiday and the season, even though the last several season have been very busy that I haven't done tons for it.

I started teaching about Christmas on Nov. 16 because of the timing of my classes (my Saturday class finished last week and my after school class finishes this week). So I've been thinking about Christmas for almost a month now. I found a fantastic website, www.yuleplay.com that has tons of Christmas playlists and all for free. I listen to it at work a lot. While planning my lessons, I decided that I really wanted to do a lot for this Christmas season. I really wanted to get into the season with crafts and cooking and decorating. I knew it was going to be hard to be away from family so I wanted to find new ways to enjoy the holiday and for the entire season. Well those plans are still in the works with Nicole. We should start that this week. But today, I got a little head start :)

Two or three weeks ago, I began thinking about how I could have a Christmas tree here in Busan. I wanted something to represent a Christmas tree. I even discussed some ideas with Vincent. The ones I considered the most was painting the big door/window that I have in my bedroom and then using suction cups to hang the lights. I considered this one the longest until I realized that ever time I did laundry I would have to take the lights down to open the door. It seemed like too much work. I also seriously considered buying a lot of green paper and cutting out handprints to make into a tree and tape against the wall at the end of my bed and then finding a way to string up the lights. I considered other ideas as well but nothing seemed to be what I wanted. I looked at trees at Costco and it was just too much. Then yesterday, Nicole told me she saw Christmas trees at Homeplus for like 25,000 won (about $25). I was ecstatic! I knew yesterday that after church today I would go to Homeplus.

Well my Homeplus trip was delayed a few hours while I hung out with some awesome friends from church after our amazing and wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. But the delay was worth it and Nicole was right, there were trees for close to 25,000 won. Someone at ice skating said Diaso had like 4 ft trees for 8,000 won. But I didn't want to go to several stores. I just wanted a tree. They had some trees that were obviously fake but then some that had some great and realistic branches. Of course the more realistic ones were more expensive. They also had several that came with decorations already and then some that came with decorations and lights. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

There were 2 trees that were 6 ft each and had obviously fake branches, but one was more full than the other and therefore more expensive. Considering I had to buy lights and decorations for them, I went for the definitely fake, not as full 6ft tree for about 28,000 won. Nicole got a 4ft tree with decorations. It took me some time to decide on decorations. I started with mostly silver and red with some green. Then I saw some beautiful rich brown ornaments with gold. I love the rich, brown color. I was sold. So now, I have a beautiful 6ft tree with gold, brown, red with gold glitter, and white with snowmen ornaments. I have some gold and white garland and 200 lights! I have a tree topper and a stocking. Yes, it cost me some money but I am SOOOOOOOO happy. I love to just turn our the lights and have the Christmas lights on. It's one of my favorite parts of Christmas and I know I get that from my dad. He loves it and I love to sit with him in the glow of the Christmas tree and just be during the evenings. It's great memories and something that I'm so happy to have at least a part of it all!

So here's a look at my lovely Christmas tree!!!

These wonderful decorations arrived in my box of warm clothes from my mom. They are on my kitchen table and I love them! I especially love the Joy display.

Decorations are going up around Busan as well! It helps so much to see decorations throughout the city. It might not be as many as home but its better than nothing. That and they are classy, beautiful decorations! It all makes me pretty happy!

The front of Lotte Department store in Seomyeon. It's really pretty.

Next to Lotte Department store is Lotte Hotel in Seomyeon. All their trees and bushes are covered with Christmas lights. I had to get this picture quickly because the bus had arrived so its not great quality but its shows all the lights for sure!