Raising a glass of Christmas cheer

I've been getting a lot of questions about Christmas.  Nothing about the details of the holiday, rather it's more along the lines of "I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.  Is it too early to do that?"  In fact I am getting more "Merry Christmas" greetings from women draped in black abayas than I have from Western colleagues.  It's awfully nice to hear.

Christmas music and balsam candles continue going in my office and at home, and it sets quite a cheerful mood.

Despite whether Christmas is actually celebrated, everyone seems to know it is the season of treats.  Like every other American school campus in the world I imagine, the teacher room has been full all week with homemade and catered cakes, chocolates, cookies, and fatayer (a savory Middle Eastern pastry that I love).  There have been parties and get togethers on the weekends at the apartment complex, and somehow these seem to outnumber our visits to the gym.

With one day left before vacation, tonight Russ and I are bucking the routine that most teachers have here of working long hours after school, and instead are hosting a cocktail party to enjoy our friends one more time before we scatter to various holiday destinations.  It is safe to say that everyone we know here is desparately craving a change of scenery and a much-deserved break.

As if we needed to eat any more this entire week, we are hosting our good friends the Nicholsons, Marlenders, and Nancy - and five of their kids - for Christmas dinner on Friday afternoon.  They are all staying in Kuwait over the next two weeks, and Russ and I have been looking forward to sharing part of their holiday for a few weeks now.  I managed to find a nine pound turkey that will provide some of the not-too-traditional buffet.  Salmon! Pecan pie! Beiruty hummus and cured olives! will make up some of the smorgasbord. 

January 1 college applications are wrapping up, but in my entire career, there are always a couple of students waiting until the last minute to START the process.  Considering that school documents need to be sent before the school closes, this is daunting for the students but I have come to expect it every year, so it is not really a surprise.

What may be a surprise to most people is where I send my next blog from, so stay tuned...