Written on Dec. 21, 2008

Last night I went with Oleg and Oksana Magdych downtown to see the Christmas tree. Oleg’s parents went with us and sitting in the backseat of the car, I couldn’t help but reminisce about Christmas’ past and other “light looking adventures.”

Getting all of us in the car to look at Christmas lights looks something like this…
In America
Calyn and Lori: YAY Christmas
Chris: It’s tradition. We’re going to look at lights.
Cameron: Fine, I’ll go, but I can’t promise to stay awake.
All of us: Dave is not driving.
In Ukraine
Ilya has to stay home to study.
Yan has a temperature and will stay home.
Magdych is trying to rush us all out the door.
A fiasco of jackets and hats and gloves and scarves and boots not necessary in Florida begins.

As we drive down the road…
In America
We flip between Christmas stations because the traditional Jesus themed songs are hard to find.
We mosey through the neighborhoods with the good lights…looking for our favorites.
Cameron falls asleep.
In Ukraine
Whatever station we are listening to begins playing the chicken dance in Russian. Oksana and I dance in the back seat.
We speed down the road dodging other cars across the icy road.
Until we get downtown there are no lights to be found.
Oleg’s mom tells me that I need to learn Ukrainian.

When we find the lights we’re looking for…
In America
We ooo and awe and then head home for hot chocolate (or in my case, instant cappuccino)
In Ukraine
We park the car and walk under the street to get closer to the tree.
There is a giant (really awesome) fireworks show.
We take pictures by the tree.
We fight our way out of the crowd of people back to the car.
Oleg’s mom is sad that we took her away from the giant tree so soon.
We head home for hot tea and an episode of 24.

I am going to miss Christmas with the Rebers this year. I am very grateful for the Magdychs (as I type this Yan and Magdych are making an angel tree topper). And the best of all is that mom will be here on Friday!