The Holiday Season

It is the season of being joyful. It is the time for caring and sharing. It is true for the entire community that celebrates Christmas but even for people like me that don't really care for it because back home it just meant a party in school or later a crazy night of partying on Christmas eve and new years it means something. It holds no great  significance for me in my life like Diwali does but being here in this country, where sometime after thanksgiving everything is about Christmas, you sort of embrace   the Christmas spirit.

Almost all the radio channels play Christmas carols and I hum along because I did learn them as a kid. The movie channels and theaters have all kind of Christmas movies. Everyone I see, I  wish happy holidays and have a nice vacation. The worst thing like the rest of them, I am dreading being alone during the holiday season because it is a time for family. Just seems kind of weird that a holiday that I did  not celebrate as a child and a time that has no significance for me, all of a sudden makes me feel lonely and sad because everyone else is so happy about it. Everyone is buying gifts and talking of Christmas dinners and I am envisioning a quiet night at home with my glass of wine and a book. And maybe a night out in Chicago bar hopping. OK so my Christmas is not going to be all by myself, I will have some friends around and some amount of partying. OK so it has not changed much from my times in Mumbai, except that the Christmas here is going to be a white one. So lets enjoy the holiday season and spread the cheer because it is the time to be merry.


So I just found out the friend I was planning to party with is also going out of town so I am going to stay at home all by myself. Don't feel that cheery about the holiday season anymore. Well the only plus is all that money I was going to spend in the clubs is going to the savings account, so I will party and be merry some other time.


Here are some pictures in Chicago and a video of the fireworks at navy pier. All of it does put you in the holiday spirit :).