From the diary of Griselda Vargas-Beilschmidt

72

Ah, how quickly the year goes! It's Christmas time once again! Well, I know that after Fred's birthday, it's only a small jump to Christmas, but it always surprises me how fast it goes. First I have to worry about birthday presents, and now Christmas ones! Phew, I can never have peace, can I?

Though, of course I know the main thought of Christmas isn't about presents. It's about getting together and spending time with the people you love and having a good time to remember. That's kinda hard to find in reality nowadays, with all those sales and advertisements telling you why exactly you need this or that, though there's a cliché in all the Christmas movies about the 'spirit of Christmas', but I think it's a nice one. A nice one, but I prefer something else.

I prefer Gabi barging in the kitchen to inspect the food and us stuffing our mouths when we think nobody is looking. I prefer Uncle Prussia taking the tree to the hall and almost tripping over Blackie, but managing not to, with Vati's help. I prefer Papa bugging Vati to sing carols, because "you have such a lovely voice, you should sing more often, Luddy!" (that's true by the way). I prefer Uncle Romano telling Uncle Spain he'll drop the panetone on his head if he sings All I Want For Christmas Is You one more time. I prefer Gabi sitting on the very top of the couch, trying to avoid Aster's attention. I prefer Mitzi sitting on Vati's shoulder the entire day, I prefer Uncle Prussia throwing mistletoe around, and I definitely prefer us all singing, with zero rhytm and sense of music, around the Christmas tree just after Uncles Prussia and Spain managed to tie themselves in the christmas lights and Vati and Uncle Romano had to untie them while Papa was hoping around, saying unnecesseary advice.

I can't wait to have that repeated, AND I'm especially looking forward to Fred and Uncle Canada coming over this time!!! I'm sure it'll be even crazier with them here. Especially if Canada brings his pet bear (Ku-something was his name, right? Ku-my?) I wonder how he'll get along with the dogs and Mitzi...

I'm sure we all have our special Christmas traditions no movie can ever capture. See? It's not about the presents at all!

As I'm writing this, there's first snow falling behind my window. Sure, it'll be gone after half an hour or so, but it's something. It's the first snow, damnit! And I am going to go out and roll in it with the dogs! (Mitzi doesen't like the cold.)

That reminds me...

Of Gabriel's surprise, confusion and astonishment when he saw the snow for the first time. Priceless. He couldn't imagine it being so cold and snowy most of the time, as is normal for, let's say, Ingrid and Kuya. And they couldn't imagine a place where they barely see snow even in winter, I'm sure. Ah, the Earth's diversity.

The school will be ending soon, too. Thank god. I can leave all my notebooks untouched for a while. Speaking of, my notebook with the notes and various clues about Vati being the Holy Roman empire theory is sandwiched between the school ones on my desk. I already know what I'll do with it.

But first- if you excuse me, I have some snow-rolling to do!