five things i like about christmas overseas.

Last Christmas was a bit of a blur.  We were hardly a month here in South Asia.  I remember lots of tears.  And that I wasn’t even cooking in my new kitchen yet.

Fast forward a year, and we’re still homesick.  I know you know that, and you’ve prayed for us especially in this season, and we’re so thankful.  Maybe it’s because of your prayers that we’ve found ourselves really relishing certain aspects of Christmas here.  Here are some of them:

1.  The slower pace.  Obviously this has a lot to do with the fact that we simply don’t know nearly as many people here in South Asia.  And that a lot of the people we do know don’t celebrate Christmas because they are Hindu or Muslim.  But even so, December is just slower here.  There isn’t the frenzied rushing around shopping and going to parties and church events like I remember from Christmases past.  There’s time to sit and be.  To bake.  To be at home when people stop by.  It makes the whole season feel longer.  And quieter.

2.  Celebrating with believers so very different from us.  We went to two church Christmas events this weekend.  They were so … different.  They were long.  And uncomfortable.  In different languages.  With different songs and dances and Christmas plays (in one nativity play, the baby Jesus was played by a Santa doll).  It was hard to be at these churches during Christmas when nothing and no one around us was familiar and when everything in me ached to sing “Joy to the World.”  But it was also good.  It made me think about Christmas in a whole different way than I ever have.  How Christmas–real Christmas–has nothing to do with whether I sing familiar carols or get to eat pecan pie or watch It’s a Wonderful Life.  Real Christmas is “good news of great joy for all people.”

3.  Opportunities to share and constant, constant reminders of how much we have.  Of course there are needy people at home.  And many opportunities to be generous.  But it’s different here.  If you give someone a Christmas gift, chances are that they really need it.  A sweater.  A blanket.  Money to buy Christmas dinner for their family.  During the Christmas season back home I’m often reminded of what I don’t have and apparently need to get.  But here everywhere I look and walk my breath catches in my throat at how much God has given us.  I don’t know why he’s done it.  It’s so humbling.  But I’m grateful.

4.  Christmas dinner.  Okay, here’s the thing.  Christmas dinner (which is really also Thanksgiving dinner), has always completely intimidated me.  When we have family gatherings or Christmas pot-lucks, I’ve always been the lame person who offered to bring dessert (and not pie) or rolls from the bakery.  But this year, I’ve cooked three Thanksgiving/Christmas dinners.  With help of course.  But I haven’t had the awesome cooks in my family to hide behind.  I’ve had to pull my weight in the kitchen and actually be responsible for the roast chicken and dressing.  Thanks to several emailed recipes from my mom, foodnetwork.com, and Linda’s expert gravy-making tips, I’ve pulled off Christmas dinner this year, and conquered my fear!  And I enjoyed doing it.  Now, if only I can master the pie crust …

5.  No traveling.  It is so, so amazing not to travel over the holidays.  And there is something magical about spending Christmas day just our little family, doing whatever we want.  Eating when we want.  Sleeping when we want.  Making our own Christmas traditions.