This day has been the technical start of the Christmas season for me--not just because it's the first day of Blogmas, but also in my household, today was the day we trekked into our garage to pull out the Christmas decorations. That's right. As I type this, I am surrounded by snowmen figurines, nativity scenes, and a Santa Clause made out of yarn. There are bells hung on the front door so whenever I hear jingling and footsteps, it may just be my dad coming home from work but it could just as easily be St. Nick getting an early start on his rounds. The house is warm and glowing despite the pitch blackness outside, and the whole place smells like pine. That's something I really appreciate about this season. Normally, whenever you walk into someone else's house it's unfamiliar. Not that it couldn't be homey for the person who lives there, but it doesn't seem like your house. This time of year, however, you can walk into almost any house, (Well, about 95% of the houses in the U.S. according to the Google search I just did) and the scent of pine is so strong that if you closed your eyes, you honestly couldn't tell you weren't standing in your own living room. We have yet to decorate our tree but I'm very much looking forward to having Frank Sinatra tell me to have myself a merry little Christmas, while my brother criticizes my ornament spacing. ("You're putting them too close together!") For the record, I have no idea what he's talking about. My ornament spacing is impeccable.
So, now that I've painted you this wonderful portrait of me, spending quality time with my family, basking in the red and green glow of lights with a nostalgic soundtrack, and holiday spirit wafting in the air, allow me to draw the harsh, crushing curtain of reality over it. As much as I wish we could go straight from Thanksgiving into Christmas break, "the world is not a wish granting factory," and my school does not let out until the 12th.
And now, for your reading sympathies, a section of my screenplay entitled "Christmas in Chemistry Class: A High School Junior's Lament" (This story is based on true events):
INT. EMILY'S LIVING ROOM - EARLY EVENING
Emily opens her chemistry textbook. She has a test tomorrow and has vowed to spend her the entire night studying.
EMILY
Okay. Studying. I can do this. Just
have to keep my focus. Focus...
Emily's brother and sister bombard into the room. Neither of them are currently in school. Shaking off their coats, they place down an array of grocery store cookies--the big sugar cookies kind with the thick, pink frosting and sprinkles. So good.
EMILY
Whoa-whoa! What are you guys doing?
I'm studying!
Emily's brother cracks open a copy of A Christmas Story and puts it in the DVD player.
EMILY'S BROTHER
Sorry, but we wanted to watch a movie.
EMILY
I can see that. But, hello? Education?
Remember what that was like?
EMILY'S SISTER
Look, we're sorry you were planning to
study. But we went out and got supplies
and were really hoping to just sit down
and eat some Christmas-y junk food and
watch this movie.
EMILY'S BROTHER
Yeah, come on, please? Hey, you can have
a cookieeeee...
EMILY'S SISTER
Oooh! Watch it with us! Watch it with us!
Emily's sister has gotten out the leopard print Snuggies and is jumping up and down while her brother holds out the plastic grocery store container.
EMILY
I'LL DO IT!
Emily throws her textbook into the trash can. She and her siblings lift their hands and rejoice as red and green confetti rains from the sky and "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" is played from an unseen stereo system.
THE END.
So what do you think? Be honest. I'm thinking about entering it in the festival circuit.
Now that you have an accurate representation of my life for the next two weeks, I must leave you. And yes, it is so I can study for that Chemistry test.
Also, I will be ending every blog post this month (Until the 25th) with whatever movie is playing primetime on ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas because there's a 90% chance that that's what I'll be watching.
Tonight's ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas Feature: Elf, starring Will Ferrell.
Christmas-tastic Thing of the Day: Youtube musician, Julia Nunes, singing O Come All Ye Faithful.
This is so wonderfully clever, and it just pasted a huuuge smile on my face!
ReplyDeleteAlso, as someone who scraped a B- in Chemistry by going to my teacher while sobbing about the lowest grade I'd ever earned in high school, studying ain't worth it ;)