Navidad

Daddy this is for you...Beate will be here in less than 10 hours, and since I decided not to go into Madrid today, besides when picking her up, I'm using this time to write about Christmas. 

The pictures go from recent- least recent. Just so there isn't confusion. Oh first off, I'd like to say thank you to Dirk and Penny, Grandpa Les and Camy, Grandma Kate, Peter Marah and Family, Natalie Wynn, Genevieve, and my Parents & Lu. The cards and other gifts have been much appreciated. For your ongoing contribution to my experience here, Thank You! To tell you the truth, my favorite thing to get is comments on my blog, it lets me know more of what people want to hear about, allows for reflection on what I've done, and its just nice to see that people are reading what I'm writing. I know that it can be a hassle for those less-technologically minded out there, but I think my dad found out how to comment if you don't have an account. Anyways now onto the accounts of Nochebuena and Navidad. 

The days leading up to Christmas definitely did not prepare me for the holiday season. The two days before xmas eve were at least 65 degrees. That threw me off quite a bit. Kelly and I tried our best to get into the season by having a baking day. We made Cracker Roca, Cookies and Nutty buddies. The cookies didn't turn out, due to the lack of brown sugar and baking powder. But the other two were a hit with everybody. Christmas day I brought cracker roca to the local along with some candy canes and york candy. They devoured it all. 

My host parents and I went to Puerto del Sol and Plaza Mayor on Sunday to look at the Christmas Lights. It. Was. Packed. There was no way to walk through the streets...it doesn't help the comfort level when this is the most common place to get your stuff stolen. We made our way through and got to the Christmas Market in Plaza Mayor. It was selling ornaments and very intricate Nativity sets. And of course there were the many street entertainers dressed as Pooh, Yoda, Dragons, Santa, and encased in clay. The Christmas trinkets weren't exactly what we were looking for, we had wigs in mind. In Spain, or Madrid at least, everybody goes to buy wigs, crazy colorful wigs, and then they wear them on New Years Eve. My host parents and I found one for us and each of the brothers. I got a rainbow mullet, and silver fake eyelashes. There will be plenty of pictures later. My favorite has to be my host dad with his huge fro. There is a picture below. Sorry if this seems like distracted writing, I'm watching the Simpsons while doing this. 

The couple days before Christmas I was at the local mostly, playing cards, video games, watching movies, it felt quite a lot like home. Then came Christmas Eve morning. I woke up to the sound of Christmas music being blasted throughout the house. Next thing I know, as I'm walking into the salon, a distinct change in soundtrack, now it was techno. And then there is Cristian's face shushing me. As if his mom in the next room isn't going to know it was him. She walked in seconds later and they exchanged sticking out of tongues. They do that a lot. The house was being prepared for 16 people, I helped cut grapes for the fruit salad we would eat at midnight. The day was spent getting ready...and then the guests arrived. Not even actual family but very close family friends. Actually, I didn't even find out they weren't our real family until a couple days before when my brothers friends explained it to me. My brother Nikko dressed up as Santa for little Augustine. He was SO happy with the remote control car Santa brought. After that we began to feast. Tomatoes stuffed with tuna, Serrano ham, bread, cheese. Next was the roast and potatoes, followed by fruit salad and a champagne toast at midnight. Presents were opened next. I got a book from my host parents and a beautiful charm bracelet along with 150 euros. My host grandma got me a book about Madrid. My family was all surprised and delighted with the presents from Rockfish Grill, and my mom with her necklace. It was nice giving something back to them. Now I know that the siblings don't give presents to each other for Three Kings. We talked to Natalia, my host sister in Denver, over skype and then I skyped my family afterwards. It was then that I realized it was already 1:30 am. What?! 3 year old Augustine and my host grandma still awake?! This can't be. But it was true, they were all still going strong. Cristian and I left shortly after that. We headed to the local, and then carpooled to the discoteca. It was a nice change from the freezing weather outside. We danced until 8ish in the morning and then made our way back to the local, where I fell asleep on and off until we went home at 9. Christmas day was spent sleeping until 4pm. Christmas is definitely not all it's built up to be in Spain, but Christmas is a little precursor for New Years Eve/New Years Day/Three Kings. And although it wasn't very "Christmasy" it was one of the best one's I've ever had! During Christmas night we went to the local and hung out, we left early and I got home just in time to get on skype and talk to the whole family at Jonn and Lisa's. It made me so happy to see everyone!!! Seeing the hurstala (I don't know how to spell this) and Uncle Willy's Beef Jerky, made me want to teleport myself to the cozy house with all the people that I'm comfortable around. But I guess that will have to wait til next year, next year I'll help make the hurstala. =D 

Now we're making plans for New Years Day. No longer going to Space (the huge discoteca) but we're going to one in Majadahonda that should be amazing as well. When I began writing it was less than 10 hours til Beate arrived now its less than 7 ahh! I can't believe it! Cris will be driving me there so I don't have to deal with the public transportation back to Majadahonda so late, and with luggage. It will be awhile til I write again, maybe I'll post more pictures before I write. Love you all, tell me how your holidays went! 

Besos.

 Christmas morning, a look at the area outside of Madrid, what I see every morning.
Christmas morning at the discoteca
Me, my brother Cris's girlfriend (Tania, but everyone calls her Rubia...blonde) and her sister Sandra
My dad with his wig at Nochebuena (christmas eve) dinner
The fruit salad and champagne
My family at dinner
Brother Nikko as Papa Noel
Trying on our wigs in the morning
Christmas Market in Plaza Mayor
Me and Kel making cookies