Monday Morning and Back to Work and More Christmas Tips
Yay! I get to go back to work. I actually like going to work; decent job, great co-workers and it gives me the sense that I'm getting stuff done. I'm glad I'm almost better and I have four days of work until I head to Berlin. Yesterday, besides the wreath disaster of 2013, I ended up wrapping presents for my sister, her husband and my nephew and nieces. They live in Canada and I want to send the gifts this week so that they get there in time. And this year I'm not asking my brother to bring them back to Canada. I'm not going to mention the security issues I caused for my father and my brother. An electronic pepper grinder apparently looks like a pipe bomb and a creme brulee set screams SAFETY HAZARD! Whatevs. I'm sending clothes this year.
Obnoxious Tova Tip for Christmas: Sending gifts abroad? Send them this week!
I also started on some Christmas cards. Christmas cards that I send to relatives that don't know about my sick and twisted humour. The Christmas letter is awaiting printing and then those will be sent out in a couple of weeks to friends I no longer need to impress. Send me your address if you want one. I ain't emailing them! And that's another thing... send out Christmas cards. It's such a nice thing to do and to receive. Sure, I get excited about a little red box on Facebook. I think to myself "Oooh! Did somebody like my ever so witty comment/status update/picture?"..and then sometimes there is disappointment "Ugh, birthday request app thing." But seriously, send a card. Make someone's day. It's nice to get something in the mail besides bills and bank statements. Nowadays, the only non-bill thing we get are wedding invites and thank you cards for the wedding we attended and maybe once in awhile, a postcard. So I'm declaring 2013 to be the year of Christmas cards! I'll be checking my mail box for the next 5 weeks. Don't let me down. I don't take disappointment well.
Obnoxious Tova Tip for Christmas: Sending Austrian decorations you bought for a lot of money at the Christmas market to friends and family via the mail? Wrap them in bubble wrap and put them in an empty Pringle box for safe transport.
In a couple of weeks we will decorate our fabulous fake white tree. I figured if we were going fake, we might as well go really fake. And the best part? I don't have to wait for like, forever to get a tree. In Vienna, they don't start selling trees until way into December and you want to know why? Because the idea of a tree stand with the capability of holding water is not a mainstream thing here. Nope, they hammer those suckers into wooden crosses. Many Vienna Decembers have seen me soaking paper towels and placing them at the base of the tree to avoid it drying out and turning it into an eco friendly iron maiden. And I don't know why tree stands aren't selling like hotcakes here. I mean, for God's sake, they put candles on the branches here! CANDLES ON DRIED OUT TREES. TREES ARE WOOD. GAH! I get nervous about accidentally electrocuting myself while touching the thermostat with wet hair. Could you imagine what I'd be like with candles on a tree? Hanukkah sends me into dry heaves already and that's the equivalent of an 8 year old celebrating his birthday. One breath and I could save you all... Anyway, looking forward to decorating...
Obnoxious Tova Tip for Christmas: Check your string lights in the next couple of weeks to make sure they work. Most likely you will be all ready on a Saturday night, listening to Bing and drinking some spiked eggnog and then WHAM! none of the lights work and there is no place in Vienna that will be selling anything of value after 6 p.m. Be prepared.
And so, I wish you a happy Monday. I'm wrapped in a blanket. Willing myself to get ready to go to the gym. So very very hard.
Obnoxious Tova Tip for Christmas: Sending gifts abroad? Send them this week!
I also started on some Christmas cards. Christmas cards that I send to relatives that don't know about my sick and twisted humour. The Christmas letter is awaiting printing and then those will be sent out in a couple of weeks to friends I no longer need to impress. Send me your address if you want one. I ain't emailing them! And that's another thing... send out Christmas cards. It's such a nice thing to do and to receive. Sure, I get excited about a little red box on Facebook. I think to myself "Oooh! Did somebody like my ever so witty comment/status update/picture?"..and then sometimes there is disappointment "Ugh, birthday request app thing." But seriously, send a card. Make someone's day. It's nice to get something in the mail besides bills and bank statements. Nowadays, the only non-bill thing we get are wedding invites and thank you cards for the wedding we attended and maybe once in awhile, a postcard. So I'm declaring 2013 to be the year of Christmas cards! I'll be checking my mail box for the next 5 weeks. Don't let me down. I don't take disappointment well.
Obnoxious Tova Tip for Christmas: Sending Austrian decorations you bought for a lot of money at the Christmas market to friends and family via the mail? Wrap them in bubble wrap and put them in an empty Pringle box for safe transport.
In a couple of weeks we will decorate our fabulous fake white tree. I figured if we were going fake, we might as well go really fake. And the best part? I don't have to wait for like, forever to get a tree. In Vienna, they don't start selling trees until way into December and you want to know why? Because the idea of a tree stand with the capability of holding water is not a mainstream thing here. Nope, they hammer those suckers into wooden crosses. Many Vienna Decembers have seen me soaking paper towels and placing them at the base of the tree to avoid it drying out and turning it into an eco friendly iron maiden. And I don't know why tree stands aren't selling like hotcakes here. I mean, for God's sake, they put candles on the branches here! CANDLES ON DRIED OUT TREES. TREES ARE WOOD. GAH! I get nervous about accidentally electrocuting myself while touching the thermostat with wet hair. Could you imagine what I'd be like with candles on a tree? Hanukkah sends me into dry heaves already and that's the equivalent of an 8 year old celebrating his birthday. One breath and I could save you all... Anyway, looking forward to decorating...
Obnoxious Tova Tip for Christmas: Check your string lights in the next couple of weeks to make sure they work. Most likely you will be all ready on a Saturday night, listening to Bing and drinking some spiked eggnog and then WHAM! none of the lights work and there is no place in Vienna that will be selling anything of value after 6 p.m. Be prepared.
And so, I wish you a happy Monday. I'm wrapped in a blanket. Willing myself to get ready to go to the gym. So very very hard.
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