Winter Break Fun

Winter break has been very relaxing so far. Dad took Wenhao and I out to find a good Christmas tree. We picked out a really big one (it looked so much smaller in the field!). I got to cut it down for the first time, so that was exciting. Next we got out all the Christmas decorations from the attic and made an evening out of decorating the tree and the house, which is actually my favorite part of Christmas. I think it is so exciting to unearth the decorations from their boxes, and with them memories of Christmases past. I especially have plenty of fun with the tree ornaments. Also, my mom has amassed an enormous collection of Santa Claus figurines that infiltrate the house and line up in large battalions on the mantelpiece every year.

I left my shopping until very late this year, so Wenhao and I went shopping one evening. The next day I showed Wenhao how to wrap presents. Wrapping is another one of my favorite parts of Christmas. Normally people find wrapping gifts to be tedious and boring, but I love it. I do a lot of origami, so I love folding in the first place. My sister and I usually try to get very creative with the way we present gifts, either in how they are wrapped or with a special package topper of some sort. This way, gift wrapping is not so boring, and it shows the recipient that you put some extra time into that gift. For example, I wove a bird out of ribbons to top Wenhao's gift. My favorite one was my sister's present (I always try something extra creative with her present). I attached the two presents together asymmetrically, just to switch things up. I decided to give her lots of cans of Play-Doh as a sort of fun de-stress toy topper. I attached them to the package as if they were a giant arrangement of string lights. I hope it didn't look like a bomb as it went through the mail...

Also, my dad's birthday is tomorrow, on New Year's Day. He always likes handmade gifts, so I made him this dog out of paper loops. It's included in the slideshow of pictures I've taken so far this break:

I am working for the most part of the break. Last night I met up with a bunch of my friends from high school for a New Year's Eve Eve party. We all dressed up a little and went out to eat at a nice restaurant called Bravo's. It was great to see all of my old friends again and to hear how they are doing in college!