It had been a long while since I'd taken a real holiday, a true break away (not working and also not thinking about work) from work or school since I started working and then returned to Grad School. I'd never bothered to take a break during Christmas-New Year since I started Grad School. We (my family and I) don't celebrate Christmas either; hence it's either I spent the holidays with my family or I was alone in a foreign country chilling at home, in fact I went in to the lab during the last two Christmas.For the first time ever after I came over to this country (started Grad School), I decided to take some time off from work. It came out as a surprise to my supervisors when I told them I would be away as they expected I would be working hard in the lab when most of the people here in this continent celebrating this festive season with their family and loved ones. Although work's been pretty messy, all I really wanted was to spend the holidays with my Travel Companion and his family.
I must say I had a wondrous holiday. Not that we went anywhere this time. My Travel Companion and I have been jetting off to some places for our past holidays, although those holidays were fun and exciting, I must admit I was feeling a bit exhausted from all those traveling. Thus this time we decided just to have a do-nothing holiday, well at least it came out to be a true R&R holiday for me.
The holiday was splendid though we did nothing. I was literally living like a piggie. I seriously put on weight in the past week. I was so well fed; my Travel Companion's parents are really good cook. I was able to sleep in and woke up whenver I felt like it. Then the moment I appeared in the living room, my Travel Companion's mom had breakfast ready. It was funny that she was constantly making and offering delicious food for me. I spent most of my holidays being a couch potato watching all the HK soap operas with her. I am not exaggerating; I was lying on the couch and watching TV days and nights while my Travel Companion's mom was constantly offering me with food. She's so sweet and nice. And yes I was so spoilt. I had not been so spoilt before, at least it's been awhile. Even when I was at my parents' place for vacation, I was not so spoilt to this extent. Boy, my Travel Companion's sister even made the bed for me. Yes, I know I'm really spoilt.
I felt really rested during the holidays. All my lack of appetite, sleep deprivation and occasion insomnia were all automatically cured instantly. I really kept work minimum and refrained from blogging. I only allowed myself to check my work email once a day. I ended up not doing any work. In fact I brought a folder of papers and a memory stick storing some files that I planned to work during the holidays when my conscience of procrastination surfaced. I did try to read some papers lying on the coach after feeling a bit bored watching the HK soap operas. But that only lasted a couple of minutes. The feeling of not thinking about work was blissful during the holidays.
Since my family do not celebrate Christmas as it is viewed as a religious thing in my country, we are not used to the concept of Christmas gifts. As for myself, I don't usually receive Christmas gifts. The only person I had been receiving Christmas gifts was from my English teacher back in those days and randomly from a friend or two in a particular year, which I did not reciprocate. Well, told you the concept of Christmas gift was not implanted in my culture. However this year, surprise surprise, I received Christmas gifts from my Travel Companion and his family. They were some incredible gifts, not in terms of price or anything creative but some pleasant gifts that gave me a warm fuzzy feeling; a sweety pink scarf from his mother, which will keep me warm, a really cute soft vinyl toy that I like but probably would probably not buy for myself as I was not aware of this toy series, and a compilation of my type of music. Wow. How could she guess my style of music? I feel really bad for not giving them Christmas gifts in return. I was checking out with my Travel Companion what his family members would like to have several times before Christmas; but all he told me was it was not really important to his family to exchange Christmas gifts. I was thinking to chip in for the presents he was getting or already got for his family. But after a second thought, I felt that it was really insecere for doing so. I always think that you want to give a gift that you think a person would like it but not because you are supposed to do so for a certain occasion.
It was an unexpected surprise to receive Christmas gifts from my Travel Companion. Believe it or not, I was not expecting anything from him during this occasion as compared to events like my birthday or some anniversaries. He really scored well this time. Not only he got me something but they were gifts that really made moved my heart. This is the first time that I received a gift that made me cried. It was a book - a collage of our latest trip together that he put them together artistically and sent for printing. The awesome book was a masterpiece of artwork. I didn't know he could be such an artist. While flipping every page very carefully and gently as though it was a fragile baby, I could feel the hardwork and effort in producing this book. He must had spent a lot of time in selecting the pictures (turned out those were my favorite pictures) and arranging them in a meaningful way. I was holding back my tears when I found out he did sacrifice his precious sleeping time staying up late to complete the book.
I thought that was the only gift. Then he opened the drawer and took out a small paper bag. I was not paying attention to what was printed on that special paper bag. He took out a small box and then all I saw was a neclace of a heart shape. All right it was from Tiffany. So before this I did not know what was a big deal about Tiffany. Well, it happens that I am one of those rare XX species who are not too crazy about jewelleries. I have not bought any actual jewelleries for myself before. The necklace I was wearing (before I put on the one from him) was from my sister that she lent it to me to match my dress for a banquet and then in the end decided to give it to me whereas another necklace I was wearing before that one was from my parents; it was a tradition gift that served like a blessing from them when I left home at 17. Back to the necklace from my Travel Companion. I'm not a material girl but geez that was the rare moment he made me feel like a girl. Little did he know that I was actually thinking about getting a necklace for myself lately.
I am glad that I was able to spend the holidays with the special one and his family, who are also speacial to me. Nothing is more worthwhile to spend good times with the person we love. Thank you to my Travel Companion's family for welcoming me as part of their family. I certainly look forward to spend some time with them. Well that was all I wanted to share here. I hope you had a great holiday too. :P
♥ every page of my imagination
