Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014 has come and gone and being that it is in all likelihood my last Christmas in Korea (unless Busan National calls back with that 3.5 million plus research grant and housing) I felt it should be special. It was.

Yen was bugging me for days about what I wanted for Christmas. The truth is is that the older I get, the less I want stuff. I wanted good coffee, a trip together to the Philippines or Singapore, home cooking. While she got that, I think she really wanted something for me to open. With that in mind she came up with the idea to get me good sunglasses. I am always buying $5 pairs in Busan and then wrecking them in a month and thus not having a pair when I really need them. They are very important when you are in a place that can get as tropical as Korea (and more so where we plan to move next year). Yen noticed this, didn't care for it, and so bought me a great pair (and being December they were half off, well done).

I got her some jewellery and chocolates.


Following her traditions, we opted to open gifts at midnight on Christmas Eve. On reflection this makes more sense than trying to make kids go to bed then having them wake you up at 5am anyway, though nothing beats that Christmas morning as a kid. Not sure which one I like more. In addition to the sunglasses I got some great stuff from my Mom and Auntie Barbara.

I am waiting until I get home next month to give my gifts, and get a few I suppose (though food and accommodation in Vancouver for two weeks is probably gift enough).

Christmas Day a few of Yen's friends dropped by and we ended up drinking and eating plenty. One had her son here, so the place felt a bit more familyish. It was actually the best Christmas I have had since my last one in Canada. Of course between working until 9:40 Christmas Eve and working Boxing Day I could only indulge so much (it is very important that Korean children never have any time to enjoy themselves or be happy at all, bah humbug) but still managed enough wine and English ale, along with Yen's constant stream of food, to feel great and have a wonderful day.

I hope everyone else had a Merry Christmas.