tis the season

Christmas season in Bangkok is a bit strange. There's actually a lot decoration considering it's a Buddhist country. Having grown up in UT, it's just weird for Christmas to come around without cold and snow. We will somehow muddle through. Besides, I've still consumed an above average amount of peppermint hot chocolate. 

We had to run over to Ikea to buy some stuff for our new place and timed it just right to get one of their real Christmas trees. They were only $60 and if we return it we get half our money back. The only other option for a real tree in Bangkok is the imported German fir trees that runs over $300. Needless to say, we've settled for fake the last two years and as our real one drops 5 pounds of needles everyday, the grinch in me is remembering how great that was.

 Winston loved Ikea. Rocky walks through Ikea like he's competing in a speed walking marathon so Winston never had a chance to wake up.

 Nothing says, "fresh from the great outdoors" like tying a tree to your car in a parking garage.

I feel quite confident that Hollypop, our elf on the shelf, is significantly creepier than yours. We love her anyway. She seems to choose her spots in the greatest effort to scare Hannah--although her latest spot, in the freezer, was probably chosen with my late night snacking in mind.

We're loving having Hannah here. Here she is showing the girls how to feed her Ferbie. Normal grown up behavior. 

My favorite thing about Christmas in Thailand is the weather. It's winter here and everyone is getting out their coats, unless they are not from Thailand and they don't wear a coat if it's in the 80s.

Weather like this is pretty great. Don't feel too bad, you can all gloat for the other 11 months of the year. Let Bangkok have their thirty days of stellar weather.