I'd been looking forward to Christmas at home for a long while... excited to see my brother once again, and for the first time ever hosting christmas eve (and day) dinner for my family at our house up on the mountain. Our place is so cozy to me that it makes me happy to share and give a lot of love to our visitors who make the trek to come and see us here. Charles and I planned and were ready to cook up a big Thai food dinner for Christmas Eve dinner, and then a traditional turkey dinner for Christmas Day, with a big brunch in between.
We were also expecting over 2 feet of snow outside our door. This is normal on the mountain and we're ready for it, and the university we live at is pretty efficient at clearing our roads. But then the rest of the Vancouver area received all of that snow too, which is a little out of the ordinary. Vancouver people just aren't prepared for so much snow!
All of our family and guests called and cancelled our invitation to christmas eve dinner. I was heartbroken..and frustrated to think what we would do with all of our wonderful food! Then there came a knock on our door, our neighbours Susanna and Marie had come to borrow a shovel and, oh, what were they doing tonight?
And so our wonderful neighbours saved Christmas. Susanna and Sebastian brought eggnog and wine. Marie brought chocolate. Mike and Malgosia brought hot apple cider (and their beautiful new little baby girl Leelu!). And Howard and Kevin brought rice and a dozen other little things I ran out of and can't be simply bought when you live on top of a mountain. We spent the evening all together, laughing and eating and sharing all of our stories together. And it became the most sweetest christmas eve that I have ever had.
I've never really experienced this before, this affinity and closeness with neighbours, and I still am a little suprised by it. Sadly, I think that it is rare these days. It may be strange to some, but I love these people! We are all from different worlds, only brought together by geography and the desire to create a warm and cozy neighbourhood which we can all live in and share. In this unaffordable city which is Vancouver we ended up on this mountain, and unexpectedly I have found my home, in the warmest, most happiest sense of the word.
It is my truest hope that I do not come across as self-applauding in writing here in this place. Please, not at all and if so please do tell me.
But If you happen to still be reading my gush, consider doing something kind for a neighbour or two sometime soon. Perhaps nothing may come of it, but just maybe you may find a little bit of this happiness as I have found. For I truly, truly wish for joy and love upon you all.
and, Merry Merry Christmas!
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