Chores (during Christmas)

I miss the times when December was a month to look forward to for the whole entire year. After 12 long months, 52 long weeks, 365 long days, Christmas finally crawled to its appearance. The adults would always complain that it was "that time of the year again." With my childish memories, I could still remember my gifts from the year before. Still, it would not come fast enough. For me.

Christmas was one of those days I secretly prayed that it would last for an eternity(besides my birthday, summer vacation, The Chinese New Year, Spring Break.) Because, well, I was looking forward to not going to school. And catching Santa Claus climbing into my bedroom window.

Yes, I was one of those children who believed in Santa. I still remember the day I found out Santa wasn't real--it broke my heart, shattered my dreams.

I am serious. I was 10.
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Then I grew up. I still remember receiving those Christmas photo cards from friends and relatives, hoping it would be my turn soon. My turn to send out those pretty Christmas cards with adorable designs.

My dream finally became a reality when we sent out our first Christmas photo cards with the arrival of Caleb--I spent hours picking out the perfect card, with the perfect design, to go with the perfect photo, which was taken at the perfect spot. I even spent days writing, rewriting, proofreading my Christmas letters to our friends and relatives we had left behind in New Jersey. It was our first Christmas here in California since we were married. Our first Christmas as parents. Our first Christmas with Benny being in the police academy...there was so much to say.

Then..this became a chore. With my address book filled with people's information from A-Z, I was wondering if I was going to sit in front of my computer screen for the whole entire night, figuring out whether I should type "Mr. & Mrs.," or "The ____ Family." To make this a little more exciting, I had to do some email-searching, trying to pull out information from those people who have kindly informed me that they have moved months and months ago. I just never bothered to write down their new addresses then. Now, trying to search that one email from 1,300, is taking more time than it needs.

After all the above is done, it was time to peel off those not-so-easy-to peel-off labels.

And, each year, my address book has more names than the last. That's how it's going to be. To say that there is absolutely no excitement in this would be a lie; of course I want everyone to see how extremely adorable my children are. But it has become a chore when, there is Caleb, trying to sit on top of his sister, while I lick my envelopes shut.

Despite all, I still do love Christmas.