December is my favorite month of the year, but not necessarily due to Christmas itself, since my family isn’t Christian and doesn’t celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense. It’s more that December brings with it a certain mood and spirit. Firstly, lights are everywhere: they line rooflines, corkscrew around tree trunks and sway in the wind above busy intersections. They make even the dullest buildings and the barest branches gleam and sparkle. Then there are the colors, mostly red, green, and gold, which mingle together and transform every space into a warm and cozy environment. And lastly, I feel that people are happier and kinder during this time (the promise of a well-deserved break from school and work definitely contributes to this!).
For the past several years, mid-December has meant long nights in the library and tired eyes from staring at my computer screen for hours, as I worked on final assignments. But being surrounded by the cheer and laughter of a holiday season, and knowing that a break was on the horizon, somehow, made everything a little less stressful. That’s why I feel lucky to be spending December, 2021, in Germany, a country that has such vibrant holiday traditions. But at the same time, one of the most important aspects of the holidays is getting to spend time with family, and I haven’t seen mine for almost four months. As much as I’ve gotten used to daily life here, I’m ready to go back home.
I feel so different from the anxious girl who said goodbye to her parents in Houston at the end of August.
