The week between Christmas and New Year's is always so weird, isn't it? It's just so slow, and I love it, but it also feels like a rush, somehow, like you have to tie up loose ends and prepare for new beginnings. I wrote most of this post then, but I didn't publish it because I needed to fit in those other end-of-year posts!
Once January begins, the holidays automatically feel like a distant memory, but it feels worth writing about them for posterity's sake. Here's how mine were.
Spent Hanukkah with lots of loved ones
Mike and I had a really lovely Hanukkah this year, lighting candles together every night and often lighting them with other people, too, including his sister, who's staying with us for a week, and his parents, who were here for the sixth and eighth nights. My mom was here for the eighth night, too, as we wrapped up a family Christmas.
We spent the fifth night with our friends Derek and Emily and their seven-month-old son, who invited us over for brisket and a fancy cocktail they named the Toasted Squishmallow (there was DIY marshmallow toasting involved). Derek's family is partly Jewish, and though he isn't observant, he sometimes likes getting Jew-ish with us by association. It was great to light the menorah with them for their baby's first Hanukkah!
Hosted our families on Christmas Day
We hosted Christmas dinner twice before the pandemic, when we lived in a duplex apartment where we all barely fit. This year, with substantially more space, we were thrilled to host Christmas at our new house, just as we approach the one-year mark of living here. There were 11 of us in total, including Mike's parents, sister, aunt and uncle, two cousins, his cousin's girlfriend, and my mom.
There was a lot of food but not necessarily too much. Mike ordered a honey-baked ham, Maggie made John Legend's mac and cheese, their mom brought a tenderloin, his aunt made salad and rosemary potatoes, and my mom assembled a truly magical charcuterie board and some incredible cookies. I made coquito, a Puerto Rican coconut drink, and we ordered an apple pecan pie from Rood.
Took it easy the week in between
I had the Monday after Christmas off but worked the rest of the week; I think I was the only one on my team who was in all four days! I haad plenty of vacation days left, but I'd basically clung to them all year long out of fear that I'd run out, so I just let them roll over to this year (so that I won't have to do it again).
With everyone else out, I decided it would be a good time to be in, with no meetings to attend and not much else to do. I was surprised that I not only hit but actually surpassed my weekly writing quota, which seems impressive for such a laid-back week.
Welcomed, 2023!
We spent New Year's Eve at our friends' house with a bunch of other friends. We hadn't gotten together for the last two years, both times because of COVID, so it was nice to finally ring in the new year with loved ones again (even if we did, to my dismay, watching the Ohio State game instead of New Year's Rockin' Eve).
I'm glad 2023 is here. Of course, we never know what's to come, but I'm excited for an upcoming trip to San Francisco with some of my old D.C. friends, traveling for a couple weddings (one in Plattsburgh, NY, and one outside Seattle), doing more freelance work, continuing to decorate and organize our home, leveling up in boxing, and hopefully getting a better handle on my health.
Here's to whatever comes next. Happy new year, friends.
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