An Expat Xmas

Since I’m spending my fourth Christmas in a very Christmas-lacking country, I’ve collected a smattering of music and videos and articles on my Tumblr to supplement that and to create a nice Christmas-like holiday at least in my own house.

So, in the spirit of Christmas, throughout the day I’ll share with you guys my Christmas things for those of you who are spending Christmas Day without a lot of Christmas atmosphere. I would have been more organized about this, but it occurred to me to do this this morning on the way to church so, in true Israeli fashion, it’s a bit slapdash and last minute.

חג אורים וחנוכה שמח!
ميلاد مجيد!
Happy Christmas, everyone!

Instant holiday!

This morning we were out of cereal, so I made a generic-Nutella and peanut butter sandwich. Thing was, I running late so I ate it on the way to the bus stop, after I brushed my teeth with peppermint toothpaste. Do you know what a chocolate and peanut butter with overtones of peppermint tastes like? 

Christmas. Delicious, delicious Christmas.

"Just...hear...those..."

My mother sent a box of Christmas decorations. They arrived today. I've already loaded up my iPod with all my Christmas music, and my flash drive is filled with Christmas movies. Simon is hoping there will be cookies. I'm hoping there will be tinsel. Either way, our house is about to get Christmas-fied. Finally.

Just don't tell the neighbors.

Things About Israelis Which Confuse Me, #8012

Black Friday sales. Which make absolutely no sense. They have a consuming-laden event (despite not being a consumer-driven culture...yet) that falls the day after a national holiday they don't have (Thanksgiving) and which kicks off the shopping season for a religious holiday they don't celebrate (Christmas). I wish I had a camera phone, because the advert was actually written "BLACK FRIDAY SALE" in English in giant letters, which just makes it all the more odd.

I asked a few people about it and they had no idea what it was, aside from a sale. No idea why it was called that, where it came from, nothing; just adopted directly from American culture with no context. Kind of like I had to explain to people that those red felt hats with the white fur and puff-ball on the end are in fact Santa hats, and no where but Israel do people wear them for Sylvester (aka New Year's Eve).

It's just odd to see things here which are so blatantly out of place, yet trying to be shoehorned in with such fervour.