Christmas and New Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I hope your festive period was joyful and you have ushered in the New Year with much enthusiasm.

Our town has gotten into the Christmas spirit, with lots of lights to be seen along the streets!

Rubén and I spent Christmas with his Mum’s family in the country side. A late meal at 10pm and exchanging of gifts through a Secret Santa at the stroke of midnight happened as is the tradition in most Chilean families.

For the Secret Santa, I had Rubén’s sister Maria. With a $20 limit I had to get creative, and as such, my gift was one to be practical when she shortly moves into her new home.

4 x mugs, 1 colander, 1 spaghetti spoon, 3 x spaghetti & 1 pasta sauce.

Rubén’s mother was the one who drew my name out of a hat. She gave me a pair of exercise pants, to much jovial laughter of the family. I light-heartedly laughed, knowing that the only exercise I do is when I have to carry my suitcase. “It’s a sign,” people said as I opened them. I proceeded to look at the tag – Size Large. So not only does my mother-on-law consider that I need to do more exercise, she perceives me as two clothing sizes bigger than I am! Thank goodness for exchange tickets – I traded my pair of too-big exercise pants for 5 pairs of undies. They will come in handy in my upcoming week away from home!

My gift to Rubén was a mini-esky, and 5 packets of cookies, to assist with the transportation of his lunch to work each day and to minimize the damage his backpack makes rubbing against his new business shirts.

Rubén’s gift to me was some natural eye-cream (which he calls eyes cream, which constantly sounds like ice-cream), and some natural body butter. My skin is crazy dry in this climate – so they are well received.

As always, both Grandparents were super spoiled, and very appreciative.

 

Skip forward a week, and New Years Eve is upon us. We celebrated at Rubén’s father’s house. Rubén’s cousins came down from the North and joined us in a barbecue dinner, champagne at midnight, and spirits well into the morning. 4am, and we called last drinks and went home.

The past few days have been used shopping, shopping, shopping. Once again, we have hit our monthly credit card limit! However we now have block-out curtains for the bedroom and I have new shoes and a new dress from my new favourite clothing shop in Chile.

A new mattress will be delivered tomorrow. Bad, springy mattress will no longer rob us of a comfortable nights sleep.

Next week I am off for another Summer Camp, a volunteer position run with the UN and government of Chile. Have a safe fortnight!