Your most vivid memory from last year’s holiday season.
Posting two days in a row! It’s a Christmas miracle! Though I hope real Christmas miracles are much more spectacular than this post.
Last year was my first holiday in D.C., so it was full of all sorts of new memories. I feel like I did so much during last year’s holiday season, while this year is just going to pass by in a blur. Maybe it’s because it was so new back then, or maybe it’s because I have so many more commitments this year.
Two things really stand out from last year’s holiday season.
First was Crystal’s Festivus party. It was a completely random event, but it was nice to have both Marie and Mary Beth come down for the weekend to hang out, and it was fun to just meet so many new people at the party. And of course, white elephant gift exchanges are always a great time. There should be more of those in life. “Please wrap up some ridiculous item that you have lying around in the back of your closet and gift it to a stranger.”
But the big thing, something I may never get the chance to do again, was the trip to the White House for Christmas. A co-worker (now former co-worker) was detailed to work on the President’s Budget last winter, and as thanks, he got four tickets to visit the White House in the evening to see the decorations. Now, that’s not as fancy as it seems. But it was still a very cool experience, one that not everyone gets. We got to walk through the White House and see all the Christmas decorations while being serenaded by various choral groups, and possibly most importantly, getting to take pictures. I wish I were a better photographer, because my photos from that evening are just passable. What a wasted opportunity. But the photos are definitely good enough to remind me of how wonderful a day it was. I’m going to try to work some photo editing magic on the pictures and get them up on Flickr within the next few weeks, though some of you have seen them already.
The decorations were just incredible, and there’s just something a little romantic about the idea of all these beautiful decorations in this gorgeous building with all the antiques and historical portraits around. It’s one of those things you see on television, but never get to see in person. I’m lucky and did get that opportunity. And I suppose it could happen again, but it’s not something I’m going to count on. I’m just glad I got to experience it once.