As it is now only four days before Christmas, I figure I should write some sort of holiday post. (It’s obligatory, right? A cookie receipe, a photo of some furry critter in a Santa hat — anything!) But to be honest, it hasn’t really felt like Christmas this year. That is because to me, the holidays have always meant sitting around in sweats for a week straight, scarfing down fruitcake that random church people bring my parents, watching hours of Christmas-themed romantic comedies on TBS and just being the happy holiday sloth that I’m meant to be. Last night, I was wondering why I was so frustrated that I have to work up until (and a little bit through) Christmas. I mean, I’ve been out of college for four years. Lots of responsible grown-ups do it. (And don’t whine nearly as much as I do.) Then I realized that this really is the first time I haven’t had a real break. Every year in Arizona, I saved up my vacay days and peaced outta there until the new year. Sigh. Look at me now! A slave, I tell you!

Now that you feel oh-so sorry for me (riiiiight), here are some things that have made my holiday season jollier:

- White elephant/just-plain-random gifts. So fun! So far, I have received: a gold Buddha statue holding a static electricity sphere, a Will Yun Lee ornament and a Dwight Schrute bobblehead (awesome!). I, in return, have gifted: KoreAms autographed by Michelle Woo, a devil paperclip holder (it’s cute) and a hardcover copy of Mao: The True Story.

- Matt gave me my Christmas gift early this year and I love it. Probably because I e-mailed him the link to exactly what I wanted (an alternative down comforter) along with the coupon code. Yeah, we don’t really do surprises anymore. Not after that one year when he gave me a lime green Google bean bag chair and that other year when he gave me a recipe book titled Cook Your Way Into Her Pants.

- “Clash of the Choirs” on NBC. It’s cheesy, but cute. I love holiday choral music!

- Drunkenness at the company Christmas party. Attempting to rehash the memories the next day.

- Borders Rewards coupons

- Cooking. It only happens about once a year.

- Meeting up with friends who are back in town.

- Cute winter-in-SoCal jackets.

Yeah, so I guess my season hasn’t been so bad at all. Merry Christmas everyone!

UPDATE: Matt writes about our holiday festivities.

The oldies and youngies sing “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” on Christmas Eve.