Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

How are you and Mrs. Claus? How are the elves? I have been very good this year, or at least I think I have been good, I mean I haven't committed any criminal offences that I am aware of so thats good right?  I still go the gym though not quite as often as I should, and I try to be kind to everyone.  This year for Christmas I would only like one thing, can you help me fit in here in England, I'm still finding it difficult. I figure if I fit in then it will be easier to find a job, so maybe a hat or a British accent would help. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a safe journey.

Merry Christmas,

Carli

P.S. I'll leave you cookies and a coke just like I always do!   

Christmas has always been a holiday steeped in tradition for me, candy canes on the tree, driving around looking at Christmas lights, watching Christmas movies such as: Its a Wonderful Life, Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and White Christmas, making candy and Christmas cookies, these are things I have done since a child.  

Now this isn't my first Christmas here in the UK, as a student I spent several Christmas's here and in 2013 I came and spent the holiday with my boyfriend (now my husband) and his family.   Each year it was a treat getting to celebrate Christmas like a Brit and embracing all of their traditions.  Eating roast lamb, opening a Christmas cracker and donning the paper crown, going to Oxford street to look at the lights, all of it a magical experience.  

But this year I find myself pining for the traditions of home:  my uncle Agustin's tamales for dinner on Christmas eve, driving around looking at all the Christmas lights, making fudge and loads of other Christmas candy to give as gifts to all my friends and neighbours.  Looking forward to ham, roast sweet potatoes and Waldorf salad on Christmas day.  Filling the stockings the night before Christmas with a candy cane, nuts, fruit, and gifts.  Always knowing that its going to snow on Christmas Eve, and not just any snow, Christmas snow! Big fluffy flakes that fall so thick you have no doubt its going to be a white Christmas. 

Its not that I'm not looking forward to Christmas.  This is my first Christmas as the new Mrs. V.  and I'm so happy to be with my husband after spending 5 years apart.  I'm still making cookies, and divinity and nut brittle, but there are not stockings, no ham and no white Christmas.  London doesn't get snow very often and if it does its not til late January/February time.  People don't put up Christmas lights (actually I've seen two houses on our street and few others in town) in their front yard for everyone to admire, caroller's are no where to be found, and Santa has a grotto not a workshop here.  Christmas dinner is lamb and roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and trifle.  All delicious things, but its not the Christmas feast I am used to.

I've put a few decorations on the family tree and added my Christmas decorations to the fireplace, but they look out of place to me.  Like they don't quite belong, perhaps this is because I don't 100% feel like I belong yet.  I know it takes time to adjust to living in a new country with new family and I will eventually find my feet.  I'm just finding that during the holidays I am missing my home and my traditions, and even the snow (but I'll never admit that to my cousins).