'Tis officially the season, and this weekend reminded me why this time of year is my favorite.
First, the decorations. I am amazed at how detailed and decorative some student houses are. Lights cover every porch pillar, ribbons tie around every door, fake reindeer mate on every lawn. Two balconies in the Diplomat bear a season greeting to passers-by on Beaver Avenue. The top balcony reads "Noel." The bottom reads, "Penis." That's practically right up there with, "Peace on earth and good will towards men."
Secondly, the friends....or at least, making new ones. On Thursday night, my roommates and I sat out on the porch, drinking wine and watching lost freshman try to find the frats. After singing a few verses of "One Jump Ahead," from Aladdin ("Gotta keep/ One jump ahead of the breadline/ One swing ahead of the sword/ I steal only what I can't afford") our across-the-street neighbor came over to introduce himself. We discovered he's a sort of wine connoisseur, makes a living as a musician and has a story for every tattoo on his body. The best one: a hula dancer on his stomach. And yes, he can make it dance.
Thirdly, the music. I spent Sunday at the winter concert for the Penn State Singing Lions. Formally a member of the group, I sat with all the other Singing Lions alumni in the front row and prepared for the onslaught of comments about how "the sequel is never as good as the original."(Musical theater kids can be pretty cut-throat.) Despite any ups and downs the show may have had, when it came to the non-denominational holiday medley, all thoughts of competition disappeared ed. No matter how talented the singer was, the entire audience was immediately transported to Christmases past and immersed in the warm fuzzy feelings that those memories evoke. At one point, I found myself wiping away a tear.
So this holiday season, no matter how you may celebrate, forget the stress and remember the little things that make this the most wonderful time of the year.
